The Freedom of Choice
by Carmilla DeWinter
Summary: Peace talks between Decepticons and Autobots have hit an impasse. For some reason the Autobot Council get it into their heads that all issues will be solved if Optimus Prime were to bond with Starscream. G1-ish AU
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I don't own them. If I did, I would try to make money with this.

Time measurements for this 'verse: 1 joor = 100 breems, 1 breem = 100 astroseconds or klicks, 20 joors = 1 orn or cycle, 1 decacycle = 10 orns, 2600 orns = 1 vorn

Author's notes:

This piece took me a good long time. Say, more than a year. It wanted to go soap opera on me for a while. I had to force myself to remember what this fic was about – as it certainly wasn't and shouldn't be about EVERYTHING. I have the nagging suspicion that it's still soap-opera-ish, but at least it does have an ending.

As per technical data, this fic is set in the same universe as 'Changeling' and even has cameos. There are 'parts' which tell the story arc in a chronological way, and interludes that highlight some of Starscream's past. The interludes can be read where they are placed (which is recommended), out of order or all in one go, if you prefer to get on with the story instead of lingering in the past.

Warnings: I don't tend towards graphic material. My stuff is rarely M-rated for the lemons, or for the abundance of blood and gore. I am, however, discussing mature themes, so please read at your own risk. And remember that views stated herein are not necessarily my own.

Usual Caveats: I'm German. If you find any mistakes, please let me know.

Credits: Inspiration for Interlude IV comes from NybCR in part.

Thanks to schwertlilie81 for first kicking my butt so I finished writing, and then encouraging me to post without further editing.

* * *

The Freedom of Choice

Prologue

The door whooshed open long after Starscream had started to believe that this had been it. That Megatron had finally despaired of breaking him.

He'd been trying to preserve energy as well as he could, but still he was only a joor away from stasis lock, maybe two.

"…Screamer?" a deep voice asked.

Thundercracker? Certainly not the mech he'd expected. Starscream made an effort and powered up his optics. The room was dark, and, true to form, TC was hovering in the doorway, optics wide.

"You awake?" TC took a careful step into the dark little room.

Some things did not change. It was comforting and unsettling both.

"Obviously," Starscream managed, his voice no more than a hoarse whisper.

"Yeah. Sorry." TC's shadow shrunk a little. "Um. Look. Can you come talk, somewhere else?"

"He sent you to fetch me?" Was there a world outside this room anymore, even?

"No. No. Look. There's something we need to talk about."

So TC was acting behind Megatron's back? Or maybe the old rust bucket had been injured. "If I can refuel there?"

"Isn't there a dispenser in here?" TC asked, proving that Starscream indeed was in a place off Megatron's quarters.

"If there ever was, he removed it," Starscream said.

"Oh." TC ducked again. "Sorry. It- We were- sorry. I'll get you some energon. Be right back."

He scrambled off, and Starscream cycled air for a breem. Then, he heaved himself into a sitting position, his back against the wall. Out of unbreakable habit, he reached for the light controls – shoulder height, middle of the back wall, where there might have been a nightstand once.

They actually reacted at his energy signature.

But.

Starscream's sluggish processor finally caught on. Oh.

TC returned with two cubes and a frown. "You look like slag."

"I know." Starscream cycled air for a sigh. "He's dead, isn't he?"

TC ducked again. "Prime showed some unexpected sense and killed him."

Megatron was dead. He was dead, and thus the only thing Starscream had dared to hope for had come to pass. He'd prayed for it, even. But now that this wish had been granted, there was a blank where the future should be. Starscream hadn't thought past this moment in far too long. "Good," he said anyway.

TC nodded and finally came over to hand him one of the cubes.


	2. Part 1

Part 1

Optimus Prime signed another datapad, placed it into the 'out' tray and leaned back in his chair to stretch. Peace meant more datawork than war.

They had yet to agree on a peace treaty, but it was only a matter of time. It had been in the works for nearly a quarter vorn, and at this conference, things looked more promising than before.

Unlike several predictions had claimed, the Decepticons had not fallen apart at Megatron's demise. There must have been plans for such an occurrence, because Shockwave and Soundwave had taken over seamlessly. The first important thing they had done was offer a cease-fire, and, second, peace, provided Kaon, Polyhex and Vos were acknowledged as their territory, leaving them to rule there as they saw fit.

Given the destruction the war had caused, the Council had agreed, and now there would be two separate states on Cybertron for the first time since the Kaon Rebellion back under Vector Prime's rule.

Nobody had asked Prime's opinion on this, and he hadn't been invited to join the negotiations, either. He was Prime, chosen to unite and lead the Cybertronian people in times of war. A glorified Defense Secretary. With stress on the secretary.

Now that there was no more warring, the senators and the Council were in power once again. Prime had to oversee the disbanding of great parts of his own army, after first recruiting it – given that most of the original standing army of Cybertron had sided with the Decepticons. Because Vos and the Seekers were now out of his reach, he'd be even less busy than Sentinel Prime had been before the Decepticon Uprising.

Just as Prime contemplated leaving a little earlier, Bluestreak, his new assistant (because the youngling didn't have anywhere else to go), announced Mirage.

Senator Mirage, that was, and he did stride into Prime's office as if he owned it. However, his smile hadn't changed, slightly shy and honestly delighted to see Prime.

"Optimus. I'm sorry I have to keep you from your work."

"I was planning to finish for the orn anyway. I gather you're not here for a social call?" Sometimes, he was.

Another smile, more tight now. "The negotiations have hit an impasse, I'm afraid."

"Of course." It wasn't the first time. "Have a seat."

Mirage drew up the visitors chair and plopped down.

"Thank you. Now, as you know, we're considering to leave the southern cities to the Decepticons, provided they'll let everyone go who doesn't wish to live under their rule. They agreed. They also accepted the borders without objection this time, but there's a few of ours who still don't trust them to keep their promises."

So far, this was expected. The talks had been postponed over this twice already. Prime nodded for Mirage to go on.

"Shockwave asked if they'd be appeased if the Decepticons left a pawn of sorts with us."

"A pawn?"

"Starscream."

Prime frowned. "I thought he was dead."

"He's not. He made a short appearance this afternoon, but he's not directly involved with the negotiations. Shockwave said he had to stay grounded for health reasons."

"Hmm. And us holding Starscream hostage is to ensure their docile behavior how?"

Mirage rolled his shoulders, obviously being at the same loss. "Apparently, he's very high up in the Vosian hierarchy. Also, he's still their official Air Commander – his position was never renounced, and they have no strategist to fill the position as well as he did. Acting Commander Thrust left Megatron without air cover on the last battle, remember?"

Prime nodded. Yes, he remembered. With Starscream still active, he'd never have gotten close enough for a fatal hit. The Decepticons owed a lot of their military prowess to Starscream, so obviously he'd be missed if there were new conflicts. "This still doesn't explain why you're telling me this."

Mirage gave another of his tight smiles. "I'm afraid they won't be content to have him be a mere hostage. They've demanded someone bond with Starscream so he'll be treated with respect."

Prime nodded. Seekers weren't well received in Iacon. It was sensible to worry about Starscream being treated decently, but, "why is forcing him into a bond respectful?"

"Shockwave said it was Starscream's demand."

Aha. "I hope I'm not supposed to understand this. Having one of ours bond to him would defy the entire purpose of having him as a hostage."

Mirage made a face. "The Council discussed this for most of the orn. I have little idea what their reasoning is, but they agreed." He paused to study his hands. "So. He needs to bond to someone rather high ranking, obviously. But the Senators are out because we don't hold permanent offices, and the Council, well… the two of them that aren't paired up are ancient, aren't they."

Prime blinked. "So you're asking me."

"Um. Yes. I'm afraid so."

Holy slag. Prime cycled air as he tried to image the outcome. Bonded to Starscream, of all mechs. Starscream. Temperamental, screechy, untrustworthy.

"If I refuse?"

Mirage fidgeted. "They'll probably order you. Xaaron said it would be beneficial to the peace process and further mutual understanding."

Prime sighed. "I thought so." At least they'd asked in a friendly manner first.

There was really no way out, was there. The Council was allowed to order him around as soon as the well-being of the Cybertronian people was concerned. Careful reasoning would allow them to do so in this case. A number of attorneys would be working on this by now.

"I wouldn't mind him living with me," Prime said. There was enough space in the house – mansion – on the edge of the Palace grounds that was the Prime's Residence. "I wouldn't mind acknowledging him as my mate." All that was needed for that was a trip to the city hall to be registered. It was a tedious process to get such a registration annulled, but at least it was reversible. "Would you take that to Shockwave and the Council? A spark bond would deprive both of us of the chance to find someone more suited for this kind of commitment."

Mirage looked at him shrewdly. "That wouldn't be an issue if you bonded."

"I know." He'd be damned to love the mech, he was well aware of that. "It doesn't mean we'd be happy, or wouldn't regret it."

"You're right. And I really can't say you two are a good match." Mirage stood. "I'll see what I can do."

"Thank you."

After Mirage had left, Prime couldn't think of work anymore, but he didn't want to go home, either. A strange unrest was making his spark flutter and his knee joints itch. To escape it, he began striding along the corridors, past the grand doors of the archives – his old workplace – and outside to the gardens. He walked until he hit the pond, where he stopped and took time to look at the offworld greenery there. Trees, he remembered someone tell him, twice as tall as he was, with thousands of tiny leaves rustling in the slight wind.

It was strangely soothing.

Suddenly, he felt as if he were being watched. Turning, he found a Seeker standing on one of the balconies, leaning forward, elbows resting on the banisters. The color scheme was familiar, as Prime zoomed in on him, red and white wings, a dark face. Starscream, yes, maybe taking a break from the negotiations. He was too far up to discern his expression, but as Prime watched, Starscream shifted, arching his back and canting his hips. The mech really was quite attractive.

Prime spun around and walked off.

xxx

The next morning, Prime was ordered to the Council's meeting chamber.

Six ancient Autobots sat in their thrones, watching him impassively from their dais. Only Xaaron was leaning forward, looking at Prime over steepled fingers, looking for all the world like a teacher about to scold a wayward youngling.

"Your suggestion was noted," Xaaron said. "But for a truly united Cybertron, we do need you to bond. For the good of our kind."

There, he'd said it. Any refusal now would mark Prime a traitor.

"Besides, you aren't the first Prime to be asked into a spark bond."

Asked, right.

For a moment, Prime just wanted to turn around and walk away, out of the Palace, out of the city, away from their scheming and his desk job.

But, of course, duty won out. He'd pledged to work for the good of all Cybertronians, and this kind of alliance would probably prove beneficial both for that and the Council's ulterior motives. Only not for Prime, personally.

He listened to himself asking questions about the when and how.

Once the treaty was completed, there would be the standard three orns of celebrations for a state bonding. An orn later, the treaty would be signed. Resulting in more celebrations.

Prime wandered back to his office and spent the rest of the orn failing to concentrate.

xxx

He didn't recharge in the night, and he was too wired for reading, so he alternately paced his study or watched the news. He also didn't recharge the night after that, but no one seemed to notice.

Occasionally, he wondered why he went home in the evening.

It was a big house, four stories above ground, two basement levels. Two major and three small washracks, seven bed rooms, a sitting room, a library, several office spaces plus uncounted more. All for one mech. Or two, in the near future. The place was empty now and would never hold anyone Prime wanted to go home to, either.

It was enough to make a mech turn to high-grade and stimulants.

Again, Prime didn't.

xxx

When Prime returned to work the fourth morning after receiving the news, he found Starscream waiting in Bluestreak's office.

Prime watched through the transparent door. The poor kid stared at the Seeker as if transfixed, while Ironhide was glowering from a corner, obviously being the unwilling guard. Starscream was sitting in one of the chairs reserved for visitors, his back straight, hands folded in his lap, and was studiously ignoring the others' looks.

For a klick, Prime felt his faceguard twitch, wanting to slide out of his helm. He hadn't worn it since Shockwave had asked to parley, yet right now it held the promise of invulnerability. But hiding wouldn't work, not when he'd have to bond to the mech, so Prime shook his head and pushed the button to open the door.

With a miniscule smile Bluestreak sagged, and Ironhide snapped to attention. Starscream lost his bored expression as he rose and didn't look quite so confident anymore. There was a round of greetings, in which Ironhide was extra smart, probably to convey his distaste of the situation.

Prime turned to Starscream then. "What can I do for you?"

"There's a few things we need to discuss," Starscream rasped. His voice was even more grating than Prime remembered.

A bond, at least, would minimize the need for actual conversation.

"You're probably right," Prime conceded. He glanced through the also transparent door to his office at the space inside, too small for comfortable distance. "Walk with me."

Starscream cocked his head. "Lead the way then."

"Sir," Ironhide protested from his corner, "He needs to be overseen at all times."

"I won't let him out of my sight. Now." Prime opened the door to the outside again. "After you."

Starscream slipped past and fell in step beside him. "You've just started a rumor."

"None that won't spread anyway. Whether I lock myself into my office with you or take you for a walk doesn't matter."

Starscream made a non-committal noise, and they strode along the hallways in silence.

It wasn't too bad, really. Starscream was short for a Seeker but still tall enough that he didn't have to hurry to keep up with Prime's longer strides. Also, he seemed content to put off the conversation for a little while.

Eventually, they stepped outside into the garden. It was empty this early in the orn save for a lone drone cleaning the stone tiles of a path. A cool breeze was rustling the leaves of the plants.

"What did you want to discuss?" Prime asked after they'd ambled aimlessly for a breem.

"Heh. You're my betrothed as much as I am yours. Don't tell me you've never thought about the technicalities."

"I've tried to avoid it, to be honest."

Starscream was silent for a few paces. "I was told you were a little apprehensive", he said then.

Even at gunpoint Prime wouldn't have been able to decipher what Starscream intended with that comment. "It's a little rash, don't you think? We've been enemies for vorns."

"It's the only way," Starscream stated.

Was it, really? Still, Prime was curious about the reasoning behind that.

"You will have to move in with me," he allowed for a change of subject.

Starscream threw him a questioning glance. "Yes."

Something about that little word made Prime feel wretched.

"It's a big house. If you wish, you can drop by tonight and pick some rooms."

"Thank you."

"Is there more?" Prime wondered.

"Presents?"

Yeah. That. Prime wasn't looking forward to the occasion, but someone would want to give them something. "I don't need anything," he said. "A vacation, maybe."

Starscream snickered. "Unless we steal a ship and sneak off undetected, we'll have bodyguards underfoot wherever we go."

"Hmm." We. "Is there anything you'd like or need?"

Starscream stopped to consider him. "Something to do. I can't hang around our place all orn, waiting for you to come home."

Of course. Starscream probably bored easily, and it would give them further opportunity to avoid each other.

"Do you have an education?"

"Feh. Don't tell me you never found out about that."

"I never asked about it. It seemed inconsequential."

"It was." Starscream nudged a stray dead leaf with his foot. "I almost graduated in chemistry and xenobiology."

There was a story there. Starscream was probably full of stories, while Prime was comparatively dull.

"Otherwise, I am a successful Air Commander."

"I'm afraid we already have an Air Commander. Besides, no one would trust you with a command, or even a teaching position."

A smirk. "According to Megatron, I was always better at picking holes into other people's plans than at anything else."

Prime smiled at the attempt at levity. "I'll ask around. Maybe there's something in the armory or the labs."

"Thank you."

Well. Starscream was trying to make a good impression by being impeccably polite, wasn't he.

"Don't thank me yet. Now… is there anything else I missed?"

Starscream chuckled. It was a surprisingly deep sound. "If you have any creators left, you should probably tell them before they see it on the news."

"We aren't really talking anymore." As far as Prime knew, they were still angry that their only creation had gone intellectual.

"You should tell them anyway." Starscream folded his arms. "I'm sure I'd want to know."

Hmm? Prime peered at Starscream for further explanation, but he looked away, face totally closed, mouth a thin line. Mirage had said something about health reasons.

"Did you lose a sparkling?"

Starscream's head snapped around, optics narrowed. "Why do you think so?"

"Just some clues." Prime held up his hands in a gesture of surrender. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

"Whatever." Starscream looked away again. "It's abstract. I wasn't even aware I was carrying until after the fact."

"I'm sorry, for what it's worth." Prime would never ask whose it had been.

"As I said. It's more abstract knowledge than anything."

Right. As if he'd repeat that if he really weren't hurting. "Let's head back." In a fit of gallantry, Prime offered his arm.

Starscream stared at it and blinked. Of course. It was an upper class thing; he'd have to be explained, like they'd explained it to Prime.

"You place your hand on mine and rest your forearm on mine."

"And what does it mean?"

"It allows us to touch without being unseemly. It's something you may offer to friends, relatives or a lover, but you may offer only to a mech your height or shorter."

"Heh. You're serious about starting that rumor."

"I'd rather bond to a mech I've been seeing secretly for a while than to someone I've never really talked to before the ceremony."

"Of course." Starscream stepped closer and daintily did as instructed.

Sparks did not fly as they touched, but the warmth and the weight on Prime's arm were both disquieting and comfortable. Prime smiled down at his companion, and Starscream grinned back. It was rather lopsided, the right corner of his mouth quicker to move than the other.

In another life, Starscream would have made a good friend.

Prime resumed their walk, and after a bit of tugging and awkwardness, Starscream adjusted and they ambled towards the office wing.

"Doesn't it bother you that I killed Megatron?"

"No. Even a vorn ago it would have, but I've learned to hate him since then. No. If anything, I'm grateful."

"I wish I could say you were welcome." Prime had tried to find another way to end the war, but nothing else had promised to yield actual results. Megatron had been too intoxicated by his military power to be open to negotiations, and had been too good at warfare to be defeated. Prime tried not to fret about it.

"You wouldn't be Optimus Prime if you didn't have a bad conscience. Even if it did end the war."

Prime sighed. "You're probably right."

"Not probably. I'm always right."

They walked the rest of the way in comfortable silence. The passersby gave them curious looks, and Prime could have sworn Starscream preened at the attention.

Bluestreak, however, seemed rather disconcerted by the sight, and Ironhide was obviously still displeased.

"I'll see you tonight," Starscream said before he was ushered out by one disgruntled red mech.

After they'd left, Bluestreak turned to fix Prime with a disappointed look. "What was this about?"

"I'll tell you later," Prime said and fled into his office.

Now. His creators would be at work, so there were a few joors to kill until he had to have that particular conversation. They probably wouldn't despise him more at the news, because he'd already betrayed them, the workers union and every other mech who was doing actual work. Not even his being chosen as Prime had made them proud of him. They'd shrugged at those news, and they'd shrug at the bonding, and Prime had no idea why he even considered humiliating himself so.

The joors dragged by until it was late afternoon, almost time to leave, when Prime finally made himself call his creators.

Override was frowning when the connection came on. "Orion."

It figured they'd conveniently forget his new name.

"Override. Is Coruscate there yet?"

"Just came in. Why?"

"There's something I need to tell you."

"Hmm. Wait a klik."

Override left the area the camera was covering and returned shortly afterwards with Coruscate in tow. They were holding hands, or rather, Coruscate was gripping Override's. Coruscate always worried more… was he worried about Prime?

Prime didn't care if he worried.

He hoped he did.

"Orion. Hello." Coruscate smiled.

"Hello. How are you two doing?"

"Could be worse. There's a lot of work now, with the truce."

"The peace treaty is nearly completed, too."

"Good." Another smile from Coruscate. "Is it true the Decepticons will have their own state?"

"I'm afraid so."

Override made a face. "Isn't it your job to unite all of Cybertron?"

"I'm working on that." Now, here went nothing. "It's why I've accepted a proposal to sparkbond with a high ranking Decepticon."

Override's frown deepened. "A proposal? Are you sure it wasn't an order?"

"Yes..." After all, he'd caved before they had to order him, good little Prime that he was.

"Hrrm. I still don't like it. Doesn't sound like the right reason to bond."

"It's right for Cybertron." And if Prime told this to himself often enough, he might just believe it.

"Who is he?" Coruscate asked.

"Starscream."

They nodded. He'd been on the news quite often.

"That Seeker," Override said. "I thought he was dead."

"No. Just… incapacitated. The medics wouldn't let him fly, for health reasons."

Coruscate looked like he caught the deeper meaning. "He told you what happened?"

"He did. He's also the one who suggested I warn you."

"Yes." Coruscate offered a little smile. "It's good that you two are so close. I'd hate for you to bond to a total stranger."

"He's easy to talk to," Prime said, and it wasn't a lie.

"Good. That's good. Is… is there a chance we could meet him? And I want to be the one to give you away."

Prime hadn't even thought they'd want to attend. "I'm going to ask Starscream about the meeting. But I'll have to talk to the Master Herald about protocol for a state bonding ceremony. I'm Prime. I'm not sure if I can be given away."

Coruscate sighed. "But we'll be invited?"

"Of course."

Override gave a gruff nod, and Coruscate beamed at him.

"Well. I'll call again tomorrow."

He cut the connection and asked Bluestreak in for an overdue explanation.

"They can make you do that?" the kid asked after Prime had finished speaking.

"I chose not to protest. It would only have ended in ugly name-calling, an it wouldn't have changed a thing."

"But," Bluestreak frowned, "aren't you afraid?"

Wasn't he? Prime slumped. "Of course. Of course I'm afraid." The fear crept up at him at night. He didn't recharge because his mind was too busy wondering how it would be to never be alone again. To always have to share mindspace with a mech totally his opposite.

Bluestreak reached over the desk to pat his hand. "And there's nothing we can do?"

"I can't back out now. I gave my word." Unfortunately, Prime's sense of duty forbid him to curl up in a corner and pretend raving madness.

Bluestreak sighed. "I'm sorry. I hope I'll have the bearings to attend the ceremony. But I don't think I could actually celebrate."

"You don't have to. Just don't tell anyone I'm on the verge of a panic."

xxx

After that conversation, Prime found the Master Herald, Manners, who had his office near the archives. Although information was within easy reach, his shelves were nearly breaking from the amount of datapads he had amassed. Manners knew all about etiquette, and about everything else, too. At least, he didn't seem surprised about Prime's problem, and had an answer without having to consult his library.

As Prime had expected, he couldn't be given away, since he was property of the people, and not living at his creators' place anymore, anyway, and Seekers had no creators, so there was no need to rub it in.

"Besides, it's a sentimental custom for the lower classes. I'll put your creators on the guest list, of course, and if you wish to invite anyone else who isn't on the list yet, feel free to contact me. The same goes for your betrothed."

Prime was quite happy to leave after that lecture, and puttered about his house until Starscream arrived. Yet again, Ironhide was the unwilling guard.

Prime presented his loyal officer with a cube of high grade and left him in the living room so he could show Starscream around.

Predictably, Starscream asked for the penthouse-like upper floor, with the large windows and the opportunity to just step outside and fly off – provided you had a license that allowed you to fly over the Palace grounds. Tonight, they only sat on the balcony's lone bench and watched the Palace glitter.

"My creators asked to meet you."

"You're back to talking?"

"They were rather upset by the idea."

"Optimus…"

"Wouldn't you be?"

Starscream sighed. "If I'd had the luxury of time to woo you, I would have."

Prime raised his optic ridges. "What makes you think you could do that?"

Starscream leaned into Prime until their faces nearly touched. "What makes you think I couldn't?" he purred. His optics glowed crimson and he was staring so intently as if he were considering Prime dessert.

It had been a long time ago since anyone had looked at Prime that way. Because Prime's spark remembered what followed if you gave in to such a look, it began to pulse faster and the same anticipation made his ventilation speed up.

Starscream grinned.

Prime withdrew. "This is not a game."

"But you offered a challenge. I've always liked challenges."

And so Starscream would do his damnedest to seduce Prime? Prime's fuel tank went slightly fluttery at the prospect.

"Hmm." Starscream closed the gap to nuzzle Prime's cheek. "Say the word and I'll stay the night."

Prime's spark raged in his chest and demanded he say _yes_.

But he didn't. Starscream rose with a huff and walked all the way to the banisters, where he was a graceful shadow obscuring the night sky.

"You can try and make me desire you all you want, but this doesn't mean I wish to bond with you."

Starscream looked at him over his shoulder. "But it would make things easier, no? If you knew the act itself wouldn't be a chore?"

Maybe. Not really.

"Your creators," Starscream said out of the blue. "I wouldn't mind meeting them."

Prime blinked. "Good. When?"

"I'll leave that to you." Starscream turned around to face Prime. "I'm to have lessons in etiquette, Xaaron informed me. But I'll be free in the evenings. Just tell me in time."

"Of course."

"Is there anything I should know about them?"

Prime frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Various things. You don't call Soundwave's cassettes drones and you don't insult Skywarp's intellect in front of Thundercracker."

"I can't think of anything like that," Prime said. "Override's been working at the docks since I can remember, and Coruscate is doing construction. They don't have much of an education, and they usually mistrust those who have one."

"So you becoming an archivist must have seemed like a slap in their faces," Starscream drew the conclusion. He inclined his head slightly and his optics had dimmed down a little.

"Something like that."

"Why didn't you bow to their wishes?"

What a question. "I couldn't be a workermech. Not when I knew there was such a wealth of knowledge to be found. I applied for a scholarship without telling them."

He sensed Starscream's smile more than he saw it. "We're both scholarship students, then."

"Yes." Being at the Academy on a scholarship wasn't easy. "So why didn't you stay in Kaon?"

"They hated me. I was too good and I didn't do well with orders. If anything, they were glad to be rid of me. But it was a coincidence Iacon Academy sent their acceptance letter first."

"So what about your choice of subjects? Were they a coincidence, too?"

"More or less." Starscream looked off. "I was fascinated by almost everything."

Yes, Prime could easily imagine that. "So what made you decide?"

"Heh. I developed a crush on a post-grad student during the orientation decacycle."

Prime adjusted his night vision to see Starscream's wistful smile. "What happened?"

"He died. On an offworld expedition."

"I'm sorry."

"It was a long time ago."

"Does that make it hurt less?"

"Shouldn't it?"

"I've experienced it just turns into a different kind of pain."

Starscream jerked his head and turned his back to Prime again. "How would you know that?"

"I've lost quite a few mechs dear to me in the war. Extended family, friends," and someone who might have become more if fate had let them.

"Hmm."

It didn't quite compare. Not to a lover or a creation.

Prime rose and joined Starscream at the banisters. "Why insist on a bond when you've suffered so many losses already?" Because nothing compared to the loss of a bondmate. Everyone knew someone who hadn't pulled through that.

"Safety reasons," Starscream rasped.

"Wouldn't being my bondmate make you more of a target?"

Starscream gave a short laugh. "Not this kind of safety."

"You're not making sense."

"I will."

Prime had a feeling that it was mostly about the exploitation of his sense of duty. "What do I get out of this?"

"Heh. You're talking to your creators again? You get the best looking mech ever as a bondmate? You'll get regular nookie?"

Prime chose not to comment.

"Besides, I wasn't made Air Commander for my looks. There's things in the future that will need someone who thinks on his feet and doesn't fear change."

Hmm. It was a good thing Prime wasn't harboring illusions about Starscream. With or without trauma, this mech was ambitious and clever enough to make everything a ploy. "What are you planning?"

"Nothing much, except living by the true Decepticon ideals."

Indeed. What was it again, their declaration… Prime tapped his fingers on the balustrade.

It is proven that all sparks are equal, with the same capabilities to learn and feel. We therefore believe that all Cybertronians are equal at their creation, and that, thus, all Cybertronians should have equal rights.

It was a short text, but it had made millions set their hope into one gray mech and his ability to lead them to freedom. If the Decepticon concept of a society worked out, the Council would have a major problem on their hands.

It didn't help that Prime thought they were right. They'd only gone about it the wrong way.

Ah. The pieces began to fall into place.

"Living by your declaration doesn't sound like nothing much," Prime said.

"It's not overly much," Starscream said. "Only to those who fear change."

"Is this supposed to reassure me?"

"No. It's an experiment that I beg to Primus will succeed. If you want reassurance, you'll just have to trust that I, as your bondmate, will stick with you, no matter what."

The setting was right, but… "If this was supposed to be romantic, you failed."

Starscream snorted and glared up at Prime. "It was a statement of fact. Like the pledge I will make at the ceremony, only shorter."

"I don't know if this kind of theatrics is appropriate for the setting," or for the cause of the bonding.

Starscream's optics narrowed. "I want it to be. I want you to look at me and know that I mean it."

"I don't get you." Prime pushed himself away from the banisters and began pacing. "You know I don't want this. How can you even consider saying those words to me?"

"Wouldn't you need to hear them even more under those circumstances?"

"I'd rather not be in any circumstances to have to hear them at all."

Starscream turned around to face him. "Optimus…"

"Don't you 'Optimus' me. An explanation, now."

For a moment, Starscream seemed stunned, then he looked away. "Do you remember the first time Shockwave asked for you to parley?"

Prime blinked. "Yes."

"I was there under a guise."

"A guise? Why not come as yourself?"

"TC – Thundercracker, he painted my white parts black. No one seemed to notice it was me. Anyway. We didn't want to announce I wasn't dead, after all."

Prime folded his arms. The memory was easily found, as one particular Seeker Prime had thought a guard had been trying to get Prime's attention. "You were flirting with me."

"You were flirting back." Starscream offered another of his lopsided smiles.

Of course. It had been him, in retrospect. "I was merely curious," Prime said.

"Let's surmise I believe that. Why would you be curious about a totally nondescript Seeker?"

Why indeed. Prime remembered same Seeker – Starscream – ogling him until Prime finally looked. Then he'd smile and look away coyly, only to repeat the game a breem later. It had been highly distracting, but it was also just flirting. Something you'd do at a bar.

"It was… normal?"

Starscream raised his optic ridges. "An enemy flirting with you is normal?"

"No!" Oh, why was this so hard to explain. "It was… normal flirting?"

Starscream tilted his head.

"You weren't trying to garner favor," Prime said. "And, well, if I tried flirting with someone lower in ranks… they'd feel as if they had to."

"Hmm." Starscream shuttered his optics for a moment. "There's those less scrupulous than you are. But I think I know what you're saying. So… would you have flirted back if I'd come as myself?"

"I don't think so." Prime crossed his arms. "Is this explanation going anywhere?"

"Tssk. Just think about the real answer. Now. I'm sure my guard is getting bored. Will you let me retire for the night?"

Of course. Prime called the elevator that took them to the ground level, where Ironhide indeed seemed relieved to see them. For a farewell, Starscream placed a peck on Prime's cheek and promised he'd be back the next night.

Prime watched them walk away, marveling at the paradox that was Starscream, who'd willingly sparkshare with him but avoided revealing his secrets.

Later, Prime had trouble falling into recharge, because his spark was whispering to him. Starscream could be here, in his arms, right now.

Eventually Prime managed to shut down, which he absolutely hadn't expected.


	3. Interlude 1

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews and alerts!

* * *

Interlude I

The first thing that came back to Starscream was the cool air in his vents, tasting of sanitizing agents.

The medbay, then.

A low, steady beeping picked up speed, and he onlined his optics to stare at the spark monitor beside his berth.

His chrono told him five decacycles had passed since… since the practice. Attack formation, thrusters sputtering and a sudden pain ripping apart his insides, then a moment of freefall clarity: this was it, now, all this work only to die because he hadn't seen a medic when he should have. Then, blackness.

The monitor spluttered for a moment. Some invisible force reached into Starscream's armor and squeezed his spark.

It hurt. Starscream clenched his teeth so he wouldn't cry out and stared at the monitor's erratic readings, willing them to go back to normal so it would stop.

It didn't stop. It backed away, became less acute, but it lurked, a hollowness where… something should be. Had been until he'd blacked out.

Maybe… he grabbed onto his trine bonds, scrambling along and was finally rewarded with two sleepy responses over the comm. line.

"Screamer?"

"You're awake?"

"Yes."

He felt their relief, and it eased the ache a little.

"You had us worried there."

"I'm sorry. I guess they rebuilt me from scratch after that fall."

"What? No, we caught you before you went into itty bitty Seeker pieces. So what happened?"

"I don't know. Nobody noticed I'm up."

"Well. It is the middle of the night," TC reasoned. "Go back to recharge and we'll see you in the morning."

Starscream wanted to see them now, but he kept silent. They felt so tired to him, especially TC. He was Elite Second, he'd have been acting Air Commander for the past five decacycles.

Starscream sat up, folded back his wings and lay on his side, curling up, wishing either of them were here, holding him, whispering comforting nonsense, even just sitting and breathing with him, because he wanted proof, physical proof that they were alright. Maybe then this hollowness inside him would be filled and let him be whole again.

Starscream spent a joor staring at the monitor.

Sometimes, he felt himself shaking, when the urge to wake TC or Warp again became too great.

Was it too much to ask that they be there? He just wanted somebody – anybody, really, even Megatron, that slagger, would do. Just someone to make him feel less lost.

He cried for a while, too, ventilation hitching and static sobs echoing in the small ward.

Stupid, emotional outburst. He didn't have any reason to cry. He'd see his wingmates in a couple of joors and he'd be able to ask a medic what was wrong with him even sooner.

But Primus, it hurt.

Eventually, the lights went up, and, after a couple of breems, the door slid open.

"You're awake." Hook sounded baffled.

"Yes. I am awake." Starscream sat. "And it must have been you who set me to wake in the middle of the night, so don't play dumb with me."

Hook shook his head. "No. I swear. We didn't think you'd wake up anymore."

What? "You're lying. Skywarp said they caught me before I damaged anything important."

Hook looked at Starscream oddly. "Well," he said eventually.

"Well, what? If you didn't rebuilt me, then what the frag happened, you imbecile?"

"You don't remember?"

"I meant to consult you because my systems were consuming too much energon, but then my engines gave and I woke up here. No holes in my memory, so why don't you tell me what happened?"

Hook scratched his head. "This certainly changes a lot," he said.

"Will you cut the cryptic remarks already?"

"I'll have to consult Megatron."

"I don't see what Megatron has to do with any of this."

"You wouldn't."

Aargh. Primus, Starscream hated the Constructicons with a passion. "Look. You do remember that I outrank you?"

Hook nodded.

"If you don't tell me now what is wrong with me, I'll have you charged for insubordination."

Hook vented a sigh. "Look. Take all the clues, alright. Increased appetite for five decacycles, sudden blackout from pain? In a mech who's interfacing on a regular basis?"

Starscream blinked. Huh. Primus forbid. "I was carrying?"

"You're really the fast sort, aren't you."

But. Starscream crossed his arms in front of his chest and tried to make himself not hunch over. His baffle was online by default. So, that meant Megatron, that utter bastard, had had his off, or used an override (was there such a thing?) and instead of just asking he'd let Starscream nearly die, and the kid, too. His kid. No wonder Starscream felt like a part of his spark had been torn off.

"It's dead, isn't it." His sparkling. Primus.

"I wouldn't know. Megatron brought in some specialist from Polyhex when we realized you were fissioning."

Starscream nodded. Megatron. Always Megatron. That slagger. "Well. Then I'll have to ask Megatron, won't I? And don't you dare warn him."

Starscream disconnected the monitor and climbed off the berth. He was going to kill that mech.

xxx

Apparently, people had thought Starscream dead. He got any number of stares as he walked the fortress. He'd have loved to stride, but his systems didn't allow that kind of speed yet.

At least, Megatron was in his office and Starscream didn't have to look all over for the fragger. Also, he seemed rather surprised to see Starscream burst through the door, so Hook had obeyed. Good.

"Where is he?" Starscream powered up his null ray and aimed at Megatron.

Megatron seemed to overcome his initial puzzlement and smirked. "You'll have to tell me who you are looking for."

"Don't play dumb with me."

"Why the sudden interest?"

Starscream lowered his weapon. What?

"Given how you didn't see the need to inform anyone, not even your trine, of your condition, I'm rather surprised you care now."

"Maybe I wasn't aware of my so-called condition."

Megatron raised his optic ridges. "There's dumber mechs than you who can draw the logical conclusion."

"My baffle is online by default. It's not logical at all."

"Hmm." Megatron leaned back in his chair. "Your baffle has been online by default for quite a while, someone informed me. Did it ever occur to you that maybe that particular bit of programming needs maintenance, too, if it's running so much?"

Starscream scoffed. "Excuse me for ignoring something that could have been a minor virus. Now tell me where my sparkling is."

"No. Seeing as how you can barely take care of yourself, and how you risked his life because you were too proud to ask for help, I don't consider you a good influence on my sparkling. He is safe, happy and healthy, and if you ever prove you are as grown up as you like to pretend, then maybe I'll allow you to meet him."

"But-"

"You're dismissed, Commander."

"You can't do that. Megatron. I'm sorry I was oblivious, but please…"

Megatron just cocked his head. "Please, what?"

"It hurts," Starscream whispered.

"Good. Now get out."

Starscream stared at him. The last two breems couldn't have happened. He couldn't have had this conversation with Megatron.

Megatron raised his fusion cannon. "I said, get out, or else I won't hesitate depriving my sparkling of his carrier for good. Do you understand?"

Staring at the faint purplish glow in the barrel of the cannon, Starscream nodded, turned, and walked outside. There, he leaned against the wall and let himself sink to the floor. Skywarp found him a few breems later and teleported him to their quarters. There, he let Starscream lay his head in his lap and petted his helm while Starscream tried to understand what Megatron had said.

xxx

A quarter vorn passed. The hurt dulled down a little over time, and Starscream took great care to work even more efficiently, in hopes the tyrant would relent eventually. Indeed, after ten decacycles of silence, Megatron began rewarding Starscream with little bits of information on the sparkling.

"He walks." "He's talking now." "I'll take him flying tonight." Always Megatron seemed so proud, and the hurt would intensify again, because Starscream wasn't there to see it.

Also, Megatron never deemed it necessary to tell Starscream what the sparkling's name was, even when Starscream begged him for an answer.

Sometimes he thought he'd burst from all the love he was feeling that didn't have anywhere to go.

Finally, one night, Megatron ordered Starscream to his quarters, and Starscream went, spark soaring.

What met him was a gray fist to his face, then blackness.


	4. Part 2

Again, thanks for all the positive responses.

I'll be off to do some sightseeing in Berlin for a few days, so the next chapter probably won't be posted until next Tuesday.

* * *

Part 2

In the morning, Bluestreak told Prime that he looked much better than in the past few orns. Ironhide glowered at him all the way through a meeting with the Autobot officers.

In the afternoon, Prime called his creators and they agreed to come by the next evening.

xxx

Half a joor after sundown, Starscream turned up at Prime's house, this time with Trailbreaker as an escort.

"I'll take it from here," Prime told the mech. "And I'll walk him back to his quarters later, so you don't have to wait up." They didn't really need someone to listen in on what they were going to discuss.

Trailbreaker saluted and didn't seem too unhappy as he hurried off.

Prime ushered Starscream into his sitting room and offered some high grade.

"Just a little, please." Starscream indicated a miniscule amount by measuring an inch with his thumb and index finger.

So Prime poured the requested amount for Starscream and an entire cube for himself.

Just before the silence became stifling, Starscream shifted in his chair. "Have you thought about my question?"

"I have. Although it's not important, because you were just trying to distract me."

Starscream considered his cube for a moment. "It is important. I wouldn't have offered to be a hostage in the first place if not for it. So?"

"I suppose I would have been too baffled at your appearance to notice you were flirting."

Starscream laughed. It was odd to look at this mech, hero of horror stories, sitting at Prime's table, laughing, optics glowing an amused orange, looking for all the world like an unconcerned youngling.

Prime couldn't help but smile back.

Eventually, Starscream sobered up, though his optics still glowed. "I realized a few things that orn. First, you have a nice face under that battle mask. Second, you are a good leader. I hadn't really understood why they all followed you."

Sometimes, Prime didn't know why they did, either.

"You inspire loyalty and you don't even consider abusing your power. Lastly, you weren't adhering to prejudice. In popular opinion, I shouldn't even be able to generate the feelings I'd need to flirt."

"This is all very flattering." Prime picked at his cube. "But if you tell me now your spark surged and you knew I was your intended, I'm going to hit you."

Starscream laughed again. "Primus beware. You're easy on the optics, and our rapport is better than I dared to hope. But the reason I agreed to come here? You're the only one we consider bright enough to deal with what we hope to achieve. Also, you're reliable to a fault. It fits with my need for a place away from most of my comrades."

And so the Decepticon leaders had done a cost-benefit analysis and decided that Prime's happiness wasn't too big a sacrifice.

"As long as you aren't carrying Megatron's sparkling and expecting me to raise it…"

Starscream blinked and turned away, to the huge windows overlooking the garden.

"I'm sorry. It was a bad joke. I presume it was his sparkling?" Like Prime had feared.

"No. But he thought it was."

Suddenly, a whole drama unfolded in Prime's head. To tell the actual parentage, a spark needed to have a certain age, approximately a quarter of a vorn. Someone had done a routine check, and things hadn't matched up. Prime didn't have it in him to despise Starscream for cheating on Megatron, and right now he wasn't about to pry why Starscream had let Megatron labor under such an illusion. Perhaps he had also thought it was Megatron's. And now it was most certainly dead.

"You said you didn't know the sparkling…"

"I didn't. Don't." Starscream's face froze into an all too familiar sneer, as if it were a battle mask to hide behind. "Megatron deemed me unsafe for his sparkling."

Hang on… "You don't know the sparkling. As in, present tense?"

Starscream sighed, and the sneer made way to something akin to despair. "I like to fool myself into believing he was dumped at a younglings home or with some other well meaning spark."

Unlikely, yes. "I'm sorry. He didn't tell you?"

Starscream smirked. "If not knowing is worse? Soundwave promised to look into it, but he probably killed whomever was the caretaker, too."

Of course. Things made more sense now, especially the fact that Starscream wanted to be away from his faction. And who was Prime to deny a broken mech a place to recover? "I think I understand your reasoning," Prime said at length. "I still don't like it, but I'll try not to make this difficult if you promise the same."

Starscream offered a smile, sad but genuine. "Thank you."

They sipped the rest of their energon in silence, then Prime told Starscream about the upcoming meeting with Override and Coruscate.

There was nothing to discuss after that, so Prime walked Starscream back to the guest house. He'd offered an arm, and Starscream had taken it without protest. However, he was ignoring the prescribed distance. He'd angled his wings so they stuck out to the back – Prime hadn't even been aware Seekers could do that – and used the gained space to snuggle as close to Prime as possible.

They bumped shoulders every so often, but Prime didn't object. Starscream was warm and obviously needed this for reasons unknown. Everything felt right for a change, it was just them walking the dark gardens, no jobs, no bonding getting in the way. If Prime could have frozen this moment, he would have.

"Here," Starscream said as they reached the guest house and stopped. He did not let go of Prime's arm, though. Instead, he just looked up at Prime, optics glowing crimson.

The atmosphere was thick with words unspoken. They were going to kiss now, weren't they? Prime's spark beat against its casing, his knees were threatening to give and for that he felt more idiotic than the first time he'd ever asked someone out.

A breem ticked by as they were just looking at each other. Then Starscream's face softened, making him look young and shy and oh so lost. Now it was the right time to lean down and brush their lips together.

Starscream made a small happy noise and snuck a hand to Prime's neck before starting to respond with gusto, tasting like tangy high grade and the ozone of the upper atmosphere.

It felt nice. A small tingle started to spread from where Starscream's hand lay, but Starscream was employing a lot more enthusiasm than skill.

When their teeth clashed for the third time in less than thirty kliks, Prime ended the kiss.

"This isn't a race."

Starscream frowned. "You didn't like it."

"No! It's just… I'm in no particular hurry to get you into berth. Are you?"

Starscream's frown deepened. "I was going to wait until the night of the ceremony."

Huh. "What about last night?"

"I knew you were going to refuse." Starscream grinned rather cheekily. "Waiting is a Seeker tradition, to emphasize the importance of the event."

"Alright." No point in getting upset about his little deceit. "It's a good tradition. Though I wasn't even aware Seekers still had traditions."

"I had to pry most of my information out of Astrotrain. The triple changers are virtually the only ones left who remember what it was like before the occupation."

How different the look on history could be.

At the defeat of the Quintessons, the Southerners had refused to bow to the Council's rule, and Vector Prime had set out to tame them and unite Cybertron. Or to destroy a culture and deprive them even of the basic right to raise their own sparklings.

"Ending the occupation probably isn't the worst possible outcome of this war."

"Exactly." Starscream drew himself up to his full height. "And I'll prove this to all the arrogant fraggers in this city."

As Prime had thought. "Just don't embarrass me in the process."

In an instant, Starscream lost his playful expression. "Never." He stroked a thumb over Prime's cheek. "We strayed rather off topic."

Indeed. "I gathered you weren't in any particular hurry."

Another stroke. "No."

Then he was either inexperienced, or had had a bad teacher. In any case, a lesson was in order.

"Let me kiss you? With your optics off?"

There was a flicker of panic before Starscream complied.

Prime put his hands on Starscream's shoulders and felt him shiver, though it didn't seem to be anticipation. "Shush. I'll let you use a blindfold on me for this, one orn."

Slowly, he feathered kisses on Starscream's lips, with a closed mouth, until he felt the mech relax, the shoulders under his hands slumping ever so slightly. Then, he flicked his tongue out, asking for entrance. It was granted with a little sound of bliss, and Prime took it from there.

A delicious, almost forgotten heat spread from Prime's spark outwards, demanding that he get closer. He had to make himself take it slow, take the time to explore thoroughly and invite Starscream to do the same in return. Starscream continued to make little mewling noises and didn't help Prime's resolve much.

By the time Prime was sure Starscream had caught on, they were both panting.

"Hmm." Starscream leaned against him, radiating contentment, and Prime drew him closer.

It felt nice, holding him like that. Prime found it rather hard to think about letting him go right now.

There was an incomprehensible murmur from Starscream.

"Excuse me?"

"I said, you are a rock."

Prime smiled. "I'll take that as a compliment."

Starscream just nuzzled his windshield.

They stood there for a few breems more, then Prime slowly disentangled himself. "It's getting late."

Starscream sighed.

Prime offered a last kiss before Starscream went inside.

He had absolutely no trouble recharging that night.

xxx

"You're looking happy," Bluestreak told him the next morning. "Did they cancel the bonding?"

"No. Why?"

Bluestreak frowned. "You're not making sense, sir."

Probably not. "Starscream came over last night. He's not as bad as I thought."

"But he's a Decepticon."

Prime offered a reassuring smile. "He's primarily a Seeker."

"No offense, sir, but that's almost worse."

"Do you even know the definition of the term 'Seeker'?"

Bluestreak leaned back as if Prime had raised a hand to slap him.

It was time for a history lesson, so Prime drew up a visitors chair to Bluestreak's desk and plopped down in it. "I know what propaganda makes of Seekers. Soldiers, sparked to kill and with little regard for the society they were supposed to protect. The media happily repeat that, and stories for sparklings never have them as anything but the villains. The approved history books for basic education all agree that they were raving mad and Vector Prime did us a favor by conquering the South."

"I wouldn't call it propaganda…" Bluestreak protested.

"It is. I did some digging, you see. 'Seeker' was meant as a title, for a Vosian flight-capable mech who'd sworn a certain oath to become part of the city's defense. It implies a strict honor concept."

Bluestreak mouthed wordlessly for a moment. "Oh," he said eventually. "But, why did they do what they did, when-"

"Because they lost their culture, and most of what they remembered was that they were free once. And we were standing in the way of their freedom."

"It's still no excuse. I mean-"

"It's an explanation. There aren't any excuses. Neither for what they did, nor for what we did to make them so desperate." Prime looked at his hands. "It seems the Council has realized this, otherwise they wouldn't have agreed to Starscream's request."

Bluestreak seemed to mull over this for a time. "Alright. It's probably better that you don't hate him, I know I-"

"It's much better."

Bluestreak looked at him oddly, but let it go.

In truth, Prime had no idea what to think about Starscream. He surely didn't resent the flyer anymore, the attraction was there, and Starscream made for decent company… but Prime was deprived of any real choice. No matter how politically sound the reasoning was, it still was nearly unthinkable that anyone would make him do this.

But despite everything, he couldn't wait to kiss Starscream again.

xxx

The chance arose when Ironhide, grumpier than usual, led Starscream into Prime's office two breems after the official work orn had ended. Starscream's entire face lit up when he looked at Prime, and Prime felt an answering smile tug at his lips.

Ironhide left with a salute to convey his annoyance, and Starscream didn't wait for the door to shut before he pounced.

They kissed very, very thoroughly.

Prime had to force himself to disengage after a couple of breems. "We're going to be late if we keep this up."

Starscream pouted but took the proffered arm without protest. That was, until they were halfway through the garden to the West Gate, where they were supposed to meet Prime's creators.

"You know," Starscream began. "This arm holding thing might be quaint and gallant and proper and everything, but it's making me feel rather decadent."

"What?" Prime stopped. "Manners did explain it to you, didn't he?"

"That he did. It doesn't mean I agree with the little blue busybody."

Prime had no idea whether to be amused or scandalized.

Starscream let go of his arm to gesture (which was also looked down upon by the nobles).

"His explanations aren't worth scrap. You were an archivist before you received the Matrix, and I had to work my way up the ranks from the dregs of your society. This makes us more successful than the rest of the population, but it doesn't make us their betters. I doubt anyone wants to be ruled by people who disregard their ways as lowly and sentimental."

Suddenly, Prime's own apprehension towards Manners made sense. He'd never really thought about it, sometimes hadn't even listened. There had been a war to win, after all.

"Manners is a snob," he agreed.

"Ah." Starscream held up a hand. "The entire system is based on snobbery. Only the rich can get into power, and currently they're making sure no one else can get into a position to be rich enough that he might gain influence."

"Yes…"

"So?" Starscream tilted his head.

"I'm beginning to see why you chose me as a victim."

"You didn't sound like a victim last night."

"No." Prime smiled. While Starscream was assertive, to put it politely, he wasn't looking for a victim. More like a partner in crime…

So. Here was the opportunity to take choice back. Prime could retreat inside himself, cursing fate, the Council and his betrothed while things happened to him, or he could make things happen. Prime felt a grin spread on his face, making the corners of his mouth hurt, as elation coursed through him, making him feel light and ready to fly.

Starscream quirked an optic ridge at him.

"Shall we be lowly and sentimental, then?" Prime held out a hand.

Smiling so brightly he nearly glowed, Starscream took it. Starscream's hands were rather delicate, but he had a firm grip nevertheless.

They easily fell into a brisk stride – neither of them was prone to ambling, the only acceptable pace when it came to walking arm in arm – which had the added effect of them being almost on time.

Override and Coruscate were already there, talking quietly under the watchful optics of a guard.

Coruscate waved when he spotted them.

Prime let go of Starscream's hand with a squeeze and went to greet his creators.

Predictably, Coruscate crushed him into a hug for a full breem, gushing how handsome he was and that Coruscate hadn't really thought the reformatting had made him this big, and that he was so glad to seem him.

Override let go of his pride long enough to also accept a hug.

Then, Prime introduced Starscream. He left the three of them for a breem to call the guards off – he didn't want anyone following them too closely.

Finally, they could walk back to Prime's place. Prime went into full tour guide mode, pointing out the archive's glass dome, the windows of his office, and let them inspect the plants.

Starscream was mostly silent, but Prime had the impression he was listening attentively.

As they reached Prime's not so humble abode, he was gently forced to give a tour of that, too.

"There's a lot of unused space here," Override remarked as they returned to the sitting room.

"I suppose the builders expected every Prime to employ a mass of servants."

"And you don't."

"There's a cleaning drone," Prime said.

"Good."

"Indeed," Starscream added.

Override gave him an odd look, but didn't inquire further.

"So," Prime said. "Can I get you anything? Low grade, high grade, treats?"

Starscream perked up at the mention of goodies, and Prime was rather glad he'd asked the kitchen to deliver some earlier in the orn.

As expected, Prime's creators went for high grade. Starscream seemed rather disappointed they didn't want any treats.

"Same as last night and some candies?" Prime asked him to prevent any conflict of interest.

A look of absolute surprise crossed Starscream's face, then he smiled. "Please."

While Prime poured the energon and fetched the plate with the goodies, he listened to their tentative small talk; what Prime's creators were doing, Starscream having attended Iacon Academy.

"Did you two meet there?" Coruscate asked.

"I'm afraid not. I only attended shortly before the war began."

"Oh." Neither asked further. It was too political for small talk, so it was just as well that Prime was able to present everyone with their high grade.

There was a short lull as they settled around the table. Then Starscream surprised Prime by asking about Coruscate's job, followed by a long winding explanation, how, exactly, you could become a specialist for high security doors without ever planning to do so.

Starscream seemed rather perplexed at the non-straightforwardness of it all. "Nobody told you to decide already?"

"I suppose social services would have if I'd ever had been unemployed. But I am pretty much an exception. Orion here knew what he wanted the first time he got his hands on a history text."

"Not that it helped much," Prime said.

Starscream nodded.

"Um…" Coruscate began. "I've always wondered how Vos worked. How do you get your respective jobs? There has to be maintenance personnel and such."

"Are you asking how Vos worked under the occupation, or are you asking how we are working now?"

Override frowned.

"I- both," Coruscate said as a peace offering.

The tale for the first was rather short and depressing – if new personnel was needed, the Emirate would request a fitting spark from Vector Sigma. Occasionally, the ancient computer was able to outsmart the usurpers, and mechs had to change occupations.

"I'm told they asked for an extra fast air fighter, but failed to specify whether they meant processor power or reaction time, so I ended up with both."

"I bet they didn't like that," Override said.

"They found it unsettling. I was the youngest trine leader ever appointed, and they were rather afraid that I would try and work at a career."

Override made a noise of agreement. "What is young for a trine leader?"

"Thirty vorns, in my case."

Coruscate made a little mournful noise. Normal mechs got their youngling frame around that time. "That is awfully young."

"Whatever. According to Soundwave, I'm two hundred going on a million in terms of cynicism, anyway."

"Two hundred," Prime repeated dumbly.

"And four," Starscream deadpanned back.

There was an uncomfortable silence.

"That's rather young for such a commitment," Override eventually said.

Prime himself was barely scraping the acceptable, and he'd started working at the time Starscream had been sparked. The thought made him shift his weight.

"I happen to be the commander of the largest air force on this planet," Starscream said. "I have a good grasp on what responsibility means."

Override showed his palms to indicate surrender. "You're outside the norm, anyway."

Starscream nodded his agreement.

After another half a joor of awkwardness, Coruscate announced that they'd like to retire for the night. Prime walked them back to the gate. He'd left Starscream back at his house so he could talk to them openly.

"Well," Coruscate said after a breem. "He certainly adores you."

It was understood this was the only good thing Coruscate had to say about Starscream.

"He does?" Prime asked.

"Totally love struck," Override agreed. "If he weren't so abrasive, I'd be happy for you."

Prime hummed. Starscream was really good at not being abrasive towards him.

"Are you sure you want to go through with this?" Coruscate asked.

"I gave my word. The peace process is depending on this."

Coruscate made a small, unhappy noise. "There's no alternative?"

"Probably. However, the Council and the Decepticon High Command have decided it would be useful…"

"But you aren't a tool!" Coruscate was obviously distraught at the thought.

"I don't plan on being one."

"Ah," Override said and left it at that.

Prime was guiltily glad when he could see them off at the gate and walk back home without company.

Starscream was waiting for him, sitting at the table with his back too straight.

"You're back." And his voice was too flat.

"Yes." Prime stopped in the middle of the room. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Tell you what?"

"You're barely legal."

"Nobody ever asked!" Starscream screeched back and sprang up from his chair. "You never even bothered to research me!"

Right. The reports had been correct about the short fuse. Prime caught himself, as Jazz had taught him, and counted to ten in his head. He wasn't looking for a shouting match. Not now, not ever.

"No, I didn't research you," he said after he was done counting.

Starscream appeared to be rather dumbfounded.

"You were rather forthcoming with the information so far. I didn't think it necessary."

"That's stupid." Starscream obviously wasn't ready to let his tantrum go.

"Any lie would be rendered pointless by the bond, don't you think?"

"You're talking me down!" Starscream was the very picture of outrage, optics wide, shoulders rolled back for imminent attack.

"Yes. It appears to be working, too."

Starscream opened his mouth, closed it. "How?"

"I chose not to react to your bait."

"But." Starscream frowned. Primus, he was cute when he was confused. "Nobody ever manages to talk me down."

"Didn't they manage or weren't they really trying?"

Starscream shook his head.

"Come here."

Three hasty steps and Starscream practically melted against Prime. Prime tightened his grip and began to rub small circles on the small of Starscream's back.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have reacted so offended at learning your age."

"I just thought you'd done some basic inquiring."

"I didn't. I was too busy with panicking to find your file." Prime offered an embarrassed grin.

Starscream chuckled.

"My creators unsettled you, didn't they?"

"They don't like me."

"I don't know. They were pretty apprehensive in the first place. Adding the usual prejudice… and you weren't really comfortable."

"I've never dated a mech who even had creators."

"Hmm." What a mess they had made of their own people. "You're still pretty young to consider bonding at all. A mech your age should be afraid of it."

"I've never been considered anything but a legal adult," Starscream said. "And I've come to appreciate stability."

Prime remembered Starscream calling him a rock and nuzzled the dark helm. "I hope you won't regret this later."

"That is unlikely." Starscream smiled at him, and Prime took it as an invitation for a kiss.

A breem or so in, Starcream began tracing Prime's helm, finding an antenna and tweaking it. Prime moaned. Those fingers were clever, and he didn't want Starscream to stop.

No. He ended the kiss and withdrew half a step to be rid of those distracting hands on his head. "I'm afraid I won't be able to stop if you continue this."

"Oh. Am I having an effect?" Starscream purred.

"I'm afraid it's mostly your choice of antenna… not that it wasn't a good choice, just, um…"

Starscream chuckled and moved in to hug him. "Don't be so embarrassed. I understand. – Will you walk me home now?"

Prime did, holding his intended's hand, and felt strangely at peace.

xxx

That peace lasted until mid-morning of the next orn, when Bluestreak announced Mirage. The senator strode into Prime's office and didn't seem to hear the invitation to sit. Instead, he actually paced.

"You were seen holding hands with Starscream last night."

"And?"

"And you introduced him to your creators!"

"They won't tell anyone about it. The peace treaty isn't in any danger."

"That's not what I meant. Whatever were you thinking? Have you any idea about the rumors you spawned?"

"Not yet." Prime squared his shoulders. "What are they saying?"

"That you are dating Starscream. And to introduce him to your creators, it must have been going on a while. People think you've been seeing him even before the war ended. I refuse to believe you forgot those implications when you started to behave like some commoner last orn."

"Stop right there." Prime felt unfamiliar anger bubbling up. "I am a commoner. So is Starscream."

Mirage fidgeted slightly.

"Besides, I am dating Starscream, in a way. I'm going to bond with him, out of no desire of my own, so I've decided to at least meet him on a regular basis to get to know him. This means we will be seen together on occasion, so the rumor would have started in two or three orns, anyway."

Mirage sighed. "I won't begrudge you that. I have no idea what I would do in your place. But will you agree this is going to be difficult to explain?"

"That's not my problem. I'm just trying to make the best of a bad situation. If you're so adamant about keeping that part of the peace treaty a secret until it's done, you'll just have to live with the rumors a while longer."

"Would you still, ah, refrain from acting as if you didn't know about etiquette?"

"No," Prime said and leaned back in his chair.

Mirage gaped.

"I have sworn to serve all Cybertronians. I have nothing against etiquette itself, but I find the reasoning behind it unbecoming for a Prime. My creators are both workermechs. I have no business looking down on everyone who is so, too. So Starscream and I have decided to forgo some of it."

Now Mirage found the chair. "That Seeker roped you right into his cause."

"Not quite. His and my cause are overlapping somewhat. He set out to show the world that Seekers aren't mindless brutes. I'm trying to unite Cybertron, as my oath demands."

"How does misbehaving translate into uniting Cybertron?"

Time to play dirty. "How is Jazz?"

Mirage blinked at the sudden turn of conversation. "I- how should I know?"

"I turned a blind optic or two on you, even though he is an officer." But of course everyone had known Mirage wasn't recharging alone when Jazz was on base, or vice versa. "You seemed to be good for each other."

"We're not meeting on a regular basis anymore", Mirage informed him.

"So I thought. What were you afraid of, Mirage?"

"Our parting is none of your business. Now if you'll excuse me?" Mirage rushed out of Prime's office. He only missed a cloak or something similar, to ripple in an ominous way.

Prime sighed and slumped at that exit. They couldn't fire him, and he dared them ordering him about something like this. However, they had it in their power to ostracize him, and while he was rarely attending their almost orn-ly parties and get-togethers, he wasn't enough of a geek not to mind.

"Sir?" Bluestreak's voice over the intercom interrupted his self pity fest. "Jazz would like to speak with you."

Speak of the unmaker. "Put him through."

The comm. crackled, then, "Heya, boss-bot."

There was no visual, so Jazz obviously was neither at home nor at his office.

"Hello, Jazz."

"I got to hear some interesting news this fine morning."

If the tone was any indication, Jazz was grinning from audio to audio.

"Did you now?" Prime just had to smile back.

"You're seeing the Screamer?"

"Starscream," Prime corrected. "And you know very well that he is my intended."

"Betrothed. Someone else picked him for you, so he is your betrothed."

"I know that."

"Interesting slip, wouldn't you say? Raises the question whether your display was caused by giddiness or a plan."

Prime studied his fingers before answering. "Both, I think."

Jazz laughed. "Cool." His voice lost the playful tone. "How are you coping with the fallout?"

"It wasn't that much. Mirage tried to admonish me for it."

"As if he has any room to talk. If there's more unpleasantness, call me. I think I know what the plan is…" Jazz's voice got a quality it only had when he was plotting. "And I like it. Yes. Definitely."

"Thank you."

Jazz veered off to gossip then, and once the call ended, Prime dug into his datapads with something that was almost motivation.

xxx

If Mirage had understood what Prime had tried to imply, he obviously hadn't talked about it to anyone, since no one from higher up rushed into Prime's office for explanations. Maybe Mirage had a bit of a bad conscience. Or was missing Jazz. Or had thought Prime was trying blackmail.

Therefore, Prime managed to get actual work done until Ironhide dropped by sometime in the afternoon. While the red mech wasn't in a good mood, he at least took the invitation to sit.

"What brings you here?"

Ironhide made a face. "I thought you didn't like the bonding thing the Council cooked up."

Ah. Prime leaned forward to look at his old instructor over steepled fingers. "I don't like that I was ordered," he said. "But Starscream has made an effort to be civil, and he's actually quite likeable."

Ironhide snorted.

"There is little point in treating him badly or ignoring him. Also, I've decided I want some normalcy back, so I'm dating Starscream until further notice."

"But he's gotta have an agenda. He's using you."

"In a way. If he is, he certainly isn't disrespecting me for it – unlike the Council. I'm not sure about their agenda, but I thought it wise to pick one for myself, too. It coincides with Starscream's on certain points, which is rather fortunate."

Ironhide frowned. "So that stuff last night was a set up? You're not in love with his Screechiness?"

Prime blinked. Love? Huh. "I like him. Other than that, time will tell."

Ironhide made a thoughtful noise. "It still doesn't sit well with me."

Primus. Being ordered into a sparkbond was creepy beyond description, yes, but it also was Starscream, and if Prime thought about it too closely, it nearly tore him apart. So. Focus on simpler things. "I'm doing it for a reason… when is the last time you voted?"

For a moment, Ironhide seemed dumbstruck. "I'm military. Besides, I'm renting. When do you think was the last time I voted?"

"Exactly."

You're military? You can't vote. You don't own your lodgings? You can't vote. You can't finance you campaign? You can't get elected.

Easy.

"Wouldn't you like to vote?"

Ironhide frowned. "But that's what the Cons wanted…"

"Yes."

"But. You know you can't trust the Seekers, and there's so many uneducated slaggers running about, you can't trust them to decide what's best for Cybertron."

"Hmm. It's quite interesting that any kind of education is extremely expensive, don't you think?"

"Ah." Ironhide suddenly seemed thoughtful. "That's interesting, right."

"There are quite a lot of interesting facts like that."

"And that's why you needed to hold hands with the Screamer."

"Starscream. But yes, it's why I need to show I trust a Seeker."

A hint of a smile spread on Ironhide's face. "I still wish it weren't a Con. But, good luck anyway."

"Thank you." Prime could certainly use it.

After Ironhide had left, a courier dropped by, with an invitation from Starscream to come haunt his quarters for a change.

xxx

In a fit of self-consciousness, Prime procrastinated by using the washracks.

By the time he made it to Starscream's place, Starscream was waiting outside, leaning against the wall beside the door in a picture of nonchalance.

"Hey," he said and smiled.

"Good evening."

Starscream's smile turned mischievous. "You're far too formal."

"Is that so?"

Starscream pushed himself off the wall. "Uh-huh."

"So what are you going to do about it?" Prime found himself grinning.

"Your attempts at innuendo need work," Starscream told him, crossed the distance and drew Prime's head down for a kiss.

When Starscream's tongue flicked against Prime's lips, he retreated, only to have Starscream look as if he'd just been told Prime didn't like him anymore. Prime's fuel tank clenched with guilt.

"Sorry. But I'd rather not give free shows."

"Right." Starscream relaxed and grinned. "Come inside, then."

Prime followed him into the guest house. It had a spacious living area, with a good view of the gardens through floor to ceiling windows. At a round, big table Shockwave sat with a large, stocky flyer whom Prime knew from pictures. He couldn't remember the name, though.

He offered polite greetings and was rewarded with the two actually rising from their seats.

"You know Shockwave," Starscream said. "And this is Astrotrain. He's part of the Senior Trine. Astrotrain, this is Optimus Prime."

The jet looked at Starscream as if to tell him, well, duh.

Some inevitable small talk followed, and Prime got to ask what the triplechanger was doing in Iacon.

"I'm here to discuss the ceremony with your Master Herald."

With Manners? Prime raised his optic ridges. Well. He'd survive it. "As long as we are included in the decision making."

"That is a given," Astrotrain said. "But you will be required to take an oath, because our prodigy here is insisting on one. You might want to research that."

"I will," Prime promised.

A hand tugged at his arm.

"If you'll excuse us," Starscream said. "We still have things to discuss."

Shockwave offered a curt nod, while Astrotrain grinned. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do, scraplet."

Starscream made a rude gesture and dragged Prime down a hallway that led to half a dozen doors, presumably the guest rooms.

Starscream had the one on the far end, resulting in an entire front of windows and a smaller one in the wall left of the door. The berth was on the wall to the right, with a shelf at its foot. It held an ornament and three datapads. A tiny table with a chair was pressed to the windows on the far end.

All in all, there was little room for two grown mechs to stand.

"Have a seat," Starscream said.

Prime did, taking the berth, because the chair seemed like it would break if he just looked at it too closely. A blanket, neatly folded, sat on the end of the berth. It had the same off white color as the memory foam, with hints of some long faded ornament. Prime fingered it, soft but rather thin. If Prime remembered correctly, it had all the markings of being hand made and if it was this soft, it started at fifty decacycle's worth of wages of Prime's old archivist's self.

"I know it's cheap," Starscream snapped. "I still had to save up for vorns."

Prime shook his head. "I was just surprised you liked blankets." Most younglings grew out of them once they didn't need heat-dispersing blankets anymore.

"Whatever. It's just a quirk. I won't make you share."

"I do have one for myself." Prime smiled. It gave him an idea for something to give Starscream, as some kind of house warming present. He hadn't wanted to ask for ideas – Starscream was proud enough to want to make a gift in return, and it was obvious he was bordering on destitute.

"Good." Starscream actually smiled back. "Some energon for you?"

"Thank you."

Starscream produced two cubes from subspace, handed one to Prime and plopped down next to him. "Did you get yelled at, too?"

Prime frowned. "Who did the yelling?"

"Manners."

Ah. There were words to be had, it seemed. "No, I wasn't yelled at. Mirage tried to ream me out, and Jazz called later to cheer me on. I'm afraid he has a plan."

"Did he tell you what he was planning?"

"No. Now tell me about Manners. I can't have my intended be treated like some wayward student."

Starscream shot him an absolutely dazzling smile, then relayed the discussion in great detail. He meandered from the Master Herald to the archives, where he had found Vosian documents from before the occupation, and began waxing poetic about how well preserved they were and about the information they might hold.

Optics wide and gleaming, gestures carefree, Starscream not only looked his age, but also quite innocent.

At any rate, Starscream had found something to do all by himself, if he was serious about the publishing he was talking about. It was also nice to have a potential history geek as a partner.

Eventually, Starscream's enthusiasm ran out.

"What is the Senior Trine?" Prime asked, seeing his chance.

Starscream took a sip from his cube. "They're the oldest trine in Vos. They look to things like ceremonies and keep a watch on the Elder Trine – that's the trine elected to rule Vos."

"The triplechangers keeping a watch on anyone?"

"Arrowhead's trine is doing a remarkably good job, so the triples aren't too busy. But I did leave TC and Skywarp to keep an optic on them all, just in case."

"Are they even allowed to intervene?"

"Heh. We're the Elite Trine."

There was a special name for every trine that had ever existed, no?

Starscream laughed at his face. "You're a historian, shouldn't you be curious about it? Elite Trine is the trine appointed to take care of the city's defense. TC and Warp plan to move to Iacon, too, once I live with you, so we'll relinquish the title then."

Prime nodded. "Speaking of which. Why does Astrotrain need to discuss the ceremony with Manners?"

"I'm a Seeker. I'm bound to the honor code, and they have to see whether it agrees with some parts of the ceremony. Besides, I might as well do it right and have a proper Seeker bonding, and I need Astrotrain to tell me what that is." He grinned as if there were some surprises in store for Prime.

Not wanting to spoil his intended's fun, Prime veered off on a tangent. "Can you tell me about the code? I've only ever found references to it, but not the actual words."

"Basically?" Starscream counted off on his fingers, "Loyalty, courage, and discipline. Astrotrain can lecture you on any of it for orns, but that's the essence."

Hmm. "How does it affect me?"

Starscream blinked in surprise. "Why would it affect you? You have your own oaths that bind you."

Yes. "I'll have to be careful about the oath I will make to you."

"Of course." Starscream leaned in for a kiss, then, and Prime tabled his musings to the next orn.

xxx

He'd also wanted to find Manners for some constructive criticism, but when he arrived at the Palace in the morning, the place was in a veritable uproar, and people looked at him with open curiosity. There was a ninety percent chance Jazz had gone and tried to help with Prime's plan.

"The Council wants to see you in twenty breems," Bluestreak told him when he entered the office.

"Did they say why?"

Bluestreak blinked, obviously out of words for a change. "You don't know?"

"No," Prime said. "I make a point to avoid the news before I come here in the morning. But I have a feeling Jazz had something to do with it."

"I wouldn't know about Jazz, sir. The article says it was an anonymous tip and I wasn't aware Jazz was into photography-"

"What are you talking about, exactly?" Prime interrupted gently.

"Uh. Oh." Bluestreak handed over a datapad. "I think I saw it coming, so I'm not too shocked, and if it were anyone else it'd be actually quite cute, no offense, I know _he_ would hate to be called that…"

Prime tuned the rest of the rant out as he had a look. As Bluestreak had implied, it was a picture, of Prime and Starscream kissing in front of the guest house. It had been taken last night, probably, from an elevated standpoint – such as the Palace's wall, which would be easy to climb for a trained infiltrator and ex-burglar. The palace guard would be reeling from the security breach, too, and Prime was glad Ironhide had had nothing to do with it and couldn't be fired.

Prime shook his head, smiling. He wasn't sure whether to rip the little miscreant's head off or congratulate him.

"I don't think it's so funny," Bluestreak interrupted his thoughts.

"I don't know. Thanks for the heads up, but I better go see the Council now."

xxx

He found them in the round chamber they used when they wanted to intimidate someone. Yellow light shone from a round window in the ceiling, making six of them almost vanish in the shadows of their high backed chairs on the wall.

Xaaron stood underneath the light, nearly glowing from anger. "You know why you are here?"

Prime nodded. "I saw the picture."

"I believed to have sent you a clear message via Senator Mirage last orn."

"I was asked if I would refrain from ignoring etiquette in the future," Prime said. "To which I answered in the negative. But I don't see how the picture has anything to do with my attitude towards etiquette."

Xaaron bristled. "You obviously did not consider that we would have to explain this."

"I usually don't look out for journalists or spy drones on the wall," Prime said. "It's merely an unfortunate coincidence."

"It would not have occurred if you could keep your hands to yourself."

How dare he. "With all due respect, Councilor, but I was kissing my future bondmate in a semi-private setting. There certainly are more incriminating pictures from Senator Cataract's parties."

Xaaron retreated a step, obviously aware he wouldn't win this argument. "You have complicated things immensely."

"I won't apologize for it," Prime said. "Because it is not my fault. It was your decision to not inform the public about this particular part of the treaty."

And indeed, a variation of 'we ordered those two to bond because it suits us' wouldn't have sounded too good. In all likelihood, a public relations expert somewhere was working on a way to explain this so it would sound as if Prime was doing it for the greater good and of his own volition without actually lying. Said expert would need to finish up quickly.

"Do you have any instructions about how you wish to handle this?" Prime asked when no one rose to defend their secrecy.

"We are going to talk this over with Shockwave." The look on Xaaron's face said that having to consult someone for decisions didn't sit well with him. "You will refrain from public statements until we tell you otherwise."

"Of course." Prime bowed, knowing a dismissal when he heard one. "Councilors."

xxx

Back in Bluestreak's office, Starscream was waiting, looking his usual unperturbed self.

"They let you live," Bluestreak exclaimed with a smile. "You had me worried for a while, and there were all those calls…"

"Redirect the media to the PR office," Prime said. "The Council will have to ask Shockwave's opinion before they're making a decision." He turned to Starscream for a quick peck on the cheek. "Good morning. I'm surprised Shockwave let you out of his sight."

"Feh." Starscream grinned. "It wasn't our idea to keep this thing from the general populace. Our media have been informed, but agreed to hold it back. We've only been playing along to see how you'd mess it up."

Prime felt a smile of his own. "How very Decepticon of you."

"Thank you."

Opening the door to his office, Prime beckoned Starscream to follow him.

Starscream took half a breem to appreciate the view and the furnishing, before plopping down on Prime's desk, dangling his feet. "Are you alright?", he asked then.

"I'm fine. I have the moral high ground and they can't do anything, really."

Starscream frowned. "I don't like that your blabbermouth out there had reason to be worried about you."

"They thought it was a ploy on my part," Prime explained. "Probably some act of rebellion."

"Why would you want to rebel?" Starscream looked suddenly suspicious.

Huh. It was somewhat ironic that this was the mech who had caused the predicament in the first place. "They asked me to bond with you for the good of Cybertron," he explained. "Any refusal on my part would have been tantamount to treason."

"You were ordered," Starscream paraphrased and looked slightly disturbed at the prospect. "What happens if you refuse an order?"

"If they couldn't make me relent and if it was important enough, they'd go looking for a new Prime."

"But they only look for a new Prime if the old one is dead…"

"Yes," Prime said.

Understanding dawned on Starscream's face, before it hardened into angry determination. "It was never our intent to force you," he declared. "We'd have settled for less, but we were told you agreed, even though you were a little unsettled by the prospect. Obviously, Xaaron omitted certain facts." Starscream hit the desk. "He will pay."

"Starscream…" This sudden bout of protectiveness couldn't be real.

"Come here," Starscream said, but it sounded more like a question.

Prime complied, standing between Starscream's knees and letting himself be hugged. Starscream tugged him closer, inviting Prime to lean on him. It felt awkward for a few moments, before Prime let himself relax into the embrace. Obviously, Starscream was more accustomed to giving than Prime had thought. And a nagging voice in the back of Prime's CPU told him that maybe he was far too used to giving and maybe had even trouble taking.

"I won't deny that I want this," Starscream rasped. "But I'll ask the Council to find me another mate if you'd rather not bond to me."

Prime blinked and stared at the black helm, hoping Starscream's reasoning would be explained there. "Why can't we, let's say, get registered as mates and take it from there?"

Starscream didn't relinquish his hold on Prime, but he stiffened somewhat. "I… I can't ask anyone to keep tabs on me for that long."

"I'd be there to keep tabs."

Starscream's hands clenched once.

Prime retreated from the embrace. Obviously it meant less than he thought it did. "You don't trust me to protect you." It stung.

Starscream raised his chin to finally look at Prime. "I want to," he said softly and turned his head away. "You're making it too easy sometimes."

Prime considered Starscream for a moment. Safety reasons, he had cited a few orns ago. And, everything considered, he must have meant his safety in the relationship. "What happened to you?"

Starscream shook his head. "Don't make this about me. I know I look vulnerable, but that's not a reason to bond with me. I don't require a savior."

Right. Everyone wanted a bond because he wouldn't trust his mate otherwise. "I really don't want to bond to anyone who thinks he can avoid a therapy that way."

"Therapy!" Starscream pushed at Prime's chest as if to repel the very idea.

Prime took half a step backwards.

"Don't you think they never tried to fix me? But I don't need fixing. There's nothing wrong with me. I don't know why I keep appearing on the list of easy targets. So what if I want off that fragging list!" Starscream's fist hit the table again and, this time, Prime's assorted datapads rattled.

"There should be other ways to keep you out of harm's way," Prime ventured.

Starscream gave him a disdainful glare. "Because this isn't the last resort."

"I'd rather not be considered a last resort."

Starscream huffed. "It's not you that's the last resort, you moron! I told you I'd do this the proper way if I had the time. And you," a blue finger poked Prime on the chest, "as good as admitted that you'd agree."

Had he? Prime replayed their conversation. He had.

He also had the urge to prod himself and see if he woke up. Maybe this entire mess was just a weird, high grade induced dream and he'd wake up and wouldn't have to make a decision.

"Optimus," Starscream began in a small voice. "I've never quite…," he shook his head, "just tell me no already, I can't take this much longer."

Prime considered Starscream's mask like face, how he was gripping the edge of the desk so hard Prime could almost hear the servos creak. Override's words came back to him… "totally love struck". It certainly would explain a few things.

Dry washing his face, Prime tried to approach this logically. Here was a mech who wanted to bond with him. Said mech had extremely convoluted motives, but there was no question he'd be sparkbroken if Prime refused. So.

On the minus side, Starscream was covering up a trauma or several. He was headstrong, proud, had a temper and certainly wasn't the most social creature in the universe.

On the plus side, Starscream was a geek like Prime, he was intelligent, brilliant even, and he certainly wasn't boring. He could be surprisingly sincere, had thought to comfort Prime just now, and he had an absolutely beautiful smile. Just the idea that some other mech would be graced with that smile made Prime bristle.

Slag it all. Prime blinked. Talk about belated revelations. He must have fallen for the Seeker, somewhere along the way. He'd known that he cared, but to care so deeply…

Wow. A stupid grin threatened to spread across Prime's face, but he forced himself into a more neutral expression.

"Starscream." Prime pried Starscream's hands off the desk. "Look at me?"

Starscream wore the face of someone who didn't dare to hope.

"Why me?"

Starscream frowned. "We discussed this already."

"You gave me the political reasoning, so I have to commend you for your honesty, but this can't be the reason why you're acting like this now. Why me?"

Tilting his head, Starscream seemed to consider the request. "You don't have any idea what a catch you are, do you." Starscream squeezed Prime's hands. "You're observant and kind. You're the most gorgeous mech your faction has to offer. You make me smile."

It seemed Prime had forgotten that particular compliment on his own pro list.

Starscream looked at him oddly. "Will you bond with me?"

For a few klicks, Prime could only stare while his spark pulse sped up and made him lightheaded. It was a sad fact of his life that he had despaired of hearing those words long before Mirage had presented the Council's scheme.

"Yes," he said. "Yes."

Starscream's optics shone with happiness. For a moment, he seemed out of a reaction, but then he drew Prime in, wrapped his legs around Prime's hips and proceeded to kiss him senseless.

Eventually, he let him go and they just panted at each other for a while. Prime wanted nothing more than to ravish his new-old intended on the desk right now, but reigned himself in before he could forget the door was transparent.

"Optimus?"

Prime focused on Starscream's face again. Hmm?

"Thank you."

"Don't. This isn't a favor or-"

Starscream silenced him with a quick kiss. "I know. Thanks for existing, then." He offered a smile that was a little more lopsided than usual, probably from embarrassment.

There was an amazing amount of varieties to not say, 'I love you', it seemed.

Finding himself somewhat reluctant to say the words, either, Prime instead opted to kiss Starscream some more and show him instead.

A few breems in, Bluestreak interrupted via the comm. system, sounding horribly flustered. "Um. Prime, sir? Councilor Xaaron and Commander Shockwave wish to meet you and Starscream in the red conference room."

Oh, well. There'd be plenty of time for this later.

xxx

As it turned out, the Council had succumbed to Shockwave's idea to hold a media conference, and it was scheduled for the late afternoon. From some PR mech, they got plenty of instructions on the questions that would be asked, and on what to say or what not to say. Both Xaaron and Shockwave argued with the mech on several occasions about the meaning of some turn of phrase versus another.

The briefing took a while, and Prime and Starscream were only allowed to leave for mid orn break. They collected some energon from the nearest common area and went outside. There was even a free bench in the garden, after a bit of searching, which was a pretty rare commodity during break times.

The first come first serve attitude was so ingrained into Prime from his time as an archivist that he never had the spark to order someone off a bench, even though his rank allowed him to do so. If Starscream found this odd, he didn't comment.

After all the talking from before, they were both content to just sit and enjoy their energon. Occasionally, Prime would catch Starscream watching him, and occasionally, Prime watched back in return. Their optics would meet and Starscream would smile and Prime would find happiness bubbling in his fuel tanks.

On the way back to Prime's office, Starscream collected some datapads from the archives. He then made himself comfortable in Prime's visitor chair, feet on Prime's desk, and began to work.

However, they spent most of the afternoon looking at each other. Prime had a hard time doing anything else, so completely dumbfounded by the knowledge that this beautiful mech actually loved him, and that he found himself loving back.

xxx

Eventually, Starscream was ordered away by Shockwave, who wanted the Seeker to use the wash racks before the media conference. Prime watched his intended being escorted off by Ironhide and wished he could join him.

"Um," Bluestreak said, once they were out of sight, "if you don't mind, would you perhaps, um, take your arguments and um, making up somewhere where I can't see it? I was trying not to listen, really I wasn't, but Starscream's kind of loud when he's angry, isn't he, and I wonder how you stand it at all, but, as I was saying, it was impossible not to overhear what he was yelling about and do you really think it's such a good idea to take up with someone like him?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, sir, apparently you're not disturbed by him being a Decepticon or a Seeker and such, but he's bound to be pretty unstable if he has to yell about things like that, and I don't think it's a good idea to be with someone in order to save him, I mean, it's not like certain mechs didn't try with me and they always were rather disappointed that I wasn't as grateful as they thought I ought to be."

Ah. "I'm sorry you had that kind of experience," Prime said. "If you ever need me to scare some mech off your back, feel free to ask."

Bluestreak nodded.

"As for saving Starscream, he is rather adamant he needs no such thing." Prime smiled. "He is looking for back up, if you will, and so am I. I believe we've come to a mutually beneficial agreement."

"Um. Right, sir. I hope you did a correct assessment."

"So do I," Prime admitted and retreated into his office.


	5. Interlude 2

Thanks again to everyone who favorited or put this on alert. I try to respond to every review personally, but on the off chance I missed any: thanks for the reviews.

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Interlude II

Starscream didn't move after waking up. Instead, he listened, and figured he wasn't in the alley anymore. Soft whirrs and beeps in the background, air being cycled through tetrajet vents. Someone had found him?

He carefully onlined his optics. Something blue moved in the corner of his vision. He scrambled upright and backwards until he hit a wall.

"You're awake," the blue figure said, but didn't move any further.

Starscream struggled to keep his vents under control. Seeker. This was a Seeker, with a rather sad look on his face, and it was just blue decal. Otherwise he was gray.

They were in a medbay of sorts.

"Why am I here?"

"I stumbled over you, in an alley just around the corner from here. You don't remember you tried to rip my head off, do you."

Starscream shook his head.

"Anyway, you passed out and I brought you here. Arcweld is this sector's medic."

Medic. Starscream looked down on himself, covered in blue scratches. There was no way the medic could have missed what – it was his fault and if word got around everyone would think –

He started to tremble.

"Kiddo." The Seeker reached out to him but stopped halfway. "We'll kill him for you. We've been watching him for a while, and now that we have evidence…"

Starscream shook his head. "I don't want to talk about it."

"You don't have to. The paint streaks are telling enough. We'll make him pay. I promise."

"Why? I- he said he couldn't help it when someone as… pretty as me was giving him looks."

"Were you giving him looks?"

"I don't know," Starscream whispered.

"Do you even know what he meant when he said that?"

Starscream shook his head.

"You're giving someone 'looks' when you find him attractive and want him to notice you."

"Oh," Starscream said. He hadn't wanted to be noticed by anyone, he'd just wanted to finish his punishment detail and return to his dorm. Besides, he had no idea what 'attractive' meant.

"You're what? Twelve vorns old?"

"Hmm."

"It's not in your programming to flirt yet. So he only accused you of giving him looks to make you feel like it was your fault."

"He did?" It made some skewed kind of sense. If Starscream thought it was his fault, he wouldn't blab.

"Yeah. They do that, and most believe it, sadly. Look, I can't stay long. I wasn't here, if they ask. Arcweld is going to give you a datapad. You look like a bright kid, you'll be able to figure it out."

The datapad contained vids with lessons on hand-to-hand combat, which Seekers weren't taught, and some texts on something called guerilla warfare. The texts were fascinating, and served as a nice distraction.

Two orns later, the military police asked Starscream about the guard who'd overseen him for a punishment. Starscream told them that the mech had beaten him up and left him, and then he'd woken up in Arcweld's medbay. He also asked why they wanted to know, and they said the guard had vanished.

He never turned up again.

xxx

"I'm told you've petitioned for better quarters," the quartermaster said, looking at Starscream over steepled fingers.

"Yes, sir."

"Why?"

"I think I've stated so sufficiently in the request form. Sir."

The quartermaster frowned. Seekers shouldn't really use big words like 'sufficiently'. Only Starscream had made a habit of sneaking off to the library whenever he had a joor to spare. He read anything he could find and was teaching himself handwriting.

One orn, he'd make it out of here. The Academies were offering scholarships if you could pass their tests. You only had to study hard. At his current rate, it would take Starscream another fifty vorns, if not more, but he was going to make it.

The quartermaster harrumphed. "Don't get prissy with me. Now… I'm inclined to actually grant the request, but I might like some… reimbursement."

"How much?" TC and Warp had helped to save up for this.

"Eight hundred."

What? He'd asked around, current rates ranged from two fifty to four hundred. "Two hundred," Starscream offered.

"I didn't say I was open to haggling."

"Then I'll have to withdraw the request for the time being, sir." Eventually, the sector would be assigned a new quartermaster. Those mechs never stayed around too long.

"Not so fast… trine leader." The quartermaster stood up and came walking around his desk, stopped behind Starscream. "Now. I'd accept… other forms of compensation." A hand landed on Starscream's aft.

Starscream had the mech against the wall, whimpering over a broken wrist, before he even realized what he'd been doing.

"Don't touch me. And if I ever get word of you having wandering hands, I'll make sure you'll pull a vanishing act."

The quartermaster applied for a new post soon after.

xxx

Primus, his head hurt, and there was a rotten feeling in his fuel tanks. Starscream groaned and onlined his optics.

Unfamiliar surroundings. Huh. He sat up, not as quickly as he would have liked, and figured from an emergency escape plan by the door that this was some kind of inn.

With another groan he let himself fall back onto the berth and shuttered his optics again. Ah. Blessed darkness.

So what the flying frag was he doing in an inn? Had he… they'd been out celebrating. He and the rest of the analytical chemistry class. It was over, and they'd all passed, which was what counted. Soo… and he'd obviously gotten cratered, because he'd never had had high grade before, because he was, technically, sixty vorns away from being allowed to consume it. Only the barkeep hadn't bothered to ask for their IDs and so Starscream had gotten cratered.

The crater was probably big enough to sink Iacon into it. Ouch.

So it figured he hadn't been able to fly. Begged the question why he was in an inn and not in his dorm. Even drunk his fellow undergrads would have thought to take him with them, wouldn't they. They weren't too fond of him, but Starscream didn't have enough credits on him to pay for a room. Certainly they wouldn't have pooled their savings for this.

Grah. Starscream onlined his optics again and made his way to the wash racks. Better get a shower, wander back to the Academy and ask someone.

The wash racks had a reflective wall, and Starscream stared at his image dumbly. He was covered in paint scratches of dull green. He'd gotten into a fight? Oh well. He'd figure it out eventually.

Using the sponge the inn thoughtfully provided, he buffed out the scratches he could reach and then slunk out of the place via the back door.

The Academy's hallways were thankfully quite empty, what with this orn being the Quintesson Defeat anniversary and all. He only met one of his classmates, who did a double take at seeing him.

"You're only back now?"

Starscream made a noncommittal noise.

"Well, that mech must have been a pit of a lay, huh?"

Starscream blinked at him, trying to process the information. It hadn't been a fight? But there were scuff marks on his wrists…

Suddenly, he remembered himself pleading. It had been a fight.

"If you'll excuse me." Starscream fled to the washracks and purged what little there was left in his tanks.

xxx

There was a general scraping of chair legs on the floor as the Decepticon High Command rose from the meeting table.

"Ah, Starscream?" Megatron said.

Starscream froze. "Sir?"

"There's something I wish to discuss with you. Wait for me."

"Of course, sir."

This couldn't be good. Starscream watched the others file out. Soundwave sent one of his indecipherable looks at Starscream, and Blitzwing winked at him, which didn't make much sense. Unless… no. Starscream had ceased to be obvious ten vorns ago, according to his trinemates.

"Starscream?"

He snapped to attention. "Sir."

"At ease. Follow me."

Making himself not draw up worst case scenarios, Starscream followed Megatron into unfamiliar hallways.

Eventually they stopped at an unassuming door. Megatron entered a code, the door slid open and revealed a spacious living room. Megatron's quarters?

Whoa.

"Come on in."

Starscream shook his head and walked on. Once he'd passed Megatron, he felt a warm hand settle on the small of his back.

He stopped. This was a joke, right? Megatron had finally decided to make fun of Starscream's silly little crush.

The hand gently pushed him onward. "Come now. Have a seat."

Starscream felt himself be directed to the table. A chair was drawn out for him and he sank into it rather gratefully. This had to be a hallucination or an overcharge dream, maybe.

He blinked as Megatron placed a cube of glowing high grade before him and settled on the chair next to him.

"It's your sparking orn, isn't it."

"Sir?" What in Primus' name was this about, and what was it to Megatron, anyway?

"Megatron," his leader corrected. "When we are in my quarters, you may call me Megatron."

"Sir. Megatron." Oh, this was weird. None of Starscream's fantasies had ever included this much awkwardness.

Megatron smiled. "As I've said, you are two hundred vorns old as of this orn, no?"

Starscream nodded dumbly.

"You are aware you've officially reached majority now."

"Yes. Si- Megatron."

"You've accomplished a lot in these two hundred vorns. More than any of those pampered Autobots could even dream of. This is cause for some celebration."

Was it? Starscream looked at the table. Some organic material, expensive and probably stolen from some defeated city. "I've never celebrated before." It wasn't encouraged, with Seekers.

"I know." Megatron raised his cube. "To your further success?"

Starscream had little choice but to toast back. "To victory."

Sipping at his high grade, Starscream watched as Megatron downed half of his in one big swallow.

The energon had a nasty burn, and Starscream set his cube down to ride out the fire down his intake. He'd have to be careful with this stuff.

"You missed a bit," Megatron said, raised a hand and slowly reached out towards Starscream.

The high grade roiled in Starscream's tanks. This wasn't true.

But then warm fingers came to rest under his chin, and a thumb brushed softly over his lips, finally reaching the small drop of high grade.

An odd sort of calm was on Megatron's face. Intent softened by some other emotion. Admiration, perhaps. Tenderness, it couldn't be.

"May I?" Megatron asked.

Starscream nodded and shuttered his optics. Yes. Please.


	6. Part 3

Thanks again for all the comments. To put your minds at ease: this fic is finished and needs only minor edits. I don't like sharing unfinished work.

* * *

Part 3

Prime was too jittery to get much work done, watching the breems tick by while trying to anticipate every question the PR mech might have forgotten in the briefing.

Finally, Prime made his way to the atrium, where seemingly every Cybertronian that owned a media ID was gathered. Backstage, the PR mech (Twist or Tweak or something) was doing more last breem briefing.

Once the guards gave their all clear, they walked out and sat at the table that had been set up. Prime and Starscream were to sit next to each other, Starscream on Prime's right. On a whim, Prime stopped to draw out the chair for his intended, as etiquette demanded from the larger mech of a couple. It earned him a brilliant smile, too.

Xaaron made the initial announcement, rambling about how Starscream and Prime had agreed to bond for the sake of understanding and how noble this was and that he was sure things would work out to everyone's benefit. Shockwave added that it had been Starscream's idea in the first place and that said mech had volunteered himself for the experiment. The command element had had some misgivings about the plan. Therefore, he was glad to know Vos's brightest mind was happy with the Autobots' choice.

It could have been worse, but Prime still wished fervently to be somewhere else. He also had the impression only Shockwave felt marginally comfortable where he was.

Eventually, it was over and they could retreat. Prime made sure to get Starscream's chair again and barely refrained from jumping when Starscream wrapped an arm around his waist. Prime failed at a glower, and Starscream just grinned back cheekily. "Just so they'll have a proper picture," he whispered.

Prime sighed and let himself be steered backstage.

Xaaron wasn't too happy about the display, while Shockwave encouraged them. "You should consider being seen in public more often," he said to Starscream when Xaaron was distracted by a guard. "Attend some functions, charm their plating off."

Starscream snorted. "I'm not particularly good at being charming."

"That's not true," Prime protested.

"You're certainly not as good as Megatron was," Shockwave amended, "but you are better than most of us."

"Heh. This only goes to prove how bad we are as diplomats," Starscream said.

"Just consider it. I don't expect you to win the mech of the vorn award anytime soon."

"Yessir." Starscream saluted playfully.

Thinking of work was out of the question after that, so Prime invited Starscream over, where they cuddled on the couch in front of the screen and had a look at what was being said about them. The sources were mostly puzzled as to what the news meant. Some of the more populist ones were appalled that there was a Seeker involved, and even more so that Prime seemed happy at the prospect. Someone else called them cute.

They tired of the ever repeating analyses rather quickly, and used the couch for a make out session that left Prime wishing Starscream weren't so determined to wait. He was somewhat gratified that Starscream seemed to regret that particular vow, too. Nevertheless, Prime walked his intended home as per usual.

xxx

The next morning, Prime found his desk buried under a slew of more or less formal invitations. It seemed that every mech with some rank in the Palace wanted to meet Starscream as soon as possible. Prime sorted them into piles – the bulk he dismissed outright, as they were from mechs he didn't like or know. Bluestreak would spend most of the morning writing polite notes about how sorry Prime and Starscream were, but they had a prior engagement. The small rest went into an extra tray. He'd ask Starscream's opinion about those before answering.

Then, Prime did some actual work and had a conference call with the respective commanders from Tarn, Praxus and Altihex about the border situation. All was quiet, what a surprise.

Then, he hoped to find Starscream in the archives. A helpful spark told him Starscream had taken his work outside half a joor prior.

Starscream had spread his datapads across an entire bench while a guardsmech Prime didn't know shifted his weight in the shadow of a tree. The sunlight was near blinding today, but Starscream didn't seem to mind. His paint gleamed, and if Prime hadn't been watched, he would have stopped to ogle for a breem or two.

"Optimus." Starscream stood to place a small kiss on Prime's cheek. "What brings you here?"

"I need your opinion on a few invitations I- we received."

"Only a few?" Starscream raised an optic ridge.

"The other hundred or so have never bothered to invite me while I was still single, so I dare say they aren't high priority."

Starscream nodded. "Just let me collect my stuff."

Prime dismissed the guard while Starscream tidied up his bench. They ambled back to Prime's office, where Bluestreak handed over a new bunch of invitations with an apologetic air.

Leaving Starscream to look at the already sorted pile, Prime waded through the newer messages, which were uninteresting as a whole.

"Do you always get this many invitations?" Starscream asked eventually.

"I could attend a social function every night, yes."

"But you don't? We've been seeing each other for a while now and you've never mentioned it."

Huh. "I usually make a point to attend some party or other once in a decacycle, so that people don't forget what I look like."

Starscream laughed. "Good. Now. Is there some kind of system so I can actually know what to expect?" He waved one of the cards for emphasis.

Oh dear. Starscream obviously had no idea how to sort formal from informal and suchlike, so the entire exercise had been a waste of time and hopefully hadn't intimidated Starscream.

Prime took the various invites and spread them out on his desk. Mirage's handwritten note on the one end, some big charity on the other and everything else in between.

"So?" he asked when he was done explaining.

"He's a friend of yours?" Starscream tapped on Mirage's note.

"A good acquaintance, as of now. I told you about him and Jazz, didn't I?"

"Hmm. I like his tone."

"It's tonight," Prime pointed out. Ostensibly, they would have to fill in for Mirage's ever busy brother and his mate.

"So what? We're going to have to face the world sometime."

"Alright, then." It was going to be small, with very little actual nobility attending. "Anything else?"

"Is there somewhere you'd like to go?"

"I had planned for this," Prime pointed at one card advertising a fundraiser for the destroyed Praxus Academy and Archives, "even before we met."

Starscream blinked at the card as if it had personally offended him.

"I'll get the tickets for both of us and you can pay me back later," he offered.

Starscream glared at him. "Right. Because being your bondmate is a paid job."

"I figured you'd be making some credits with your publishing eventually."

"Hah. Sometimes I really wonder if we're even living on the same planet. This," he balled up the offending card and threw it at Prime, "this is the equivalent of ten vorns of work for a trine leader. Back when we got paid, mind you. And I know from personal experience making money from publishing science isn't quite that easy. So if you can wait for ten vorns or so and won't drag me to another such event in the meantime, yes, I might be able to pay you back."

Well. Obviously his had been the wrong approach. Prime blinked, at a loss. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you."

"I know." Starscream sighed explosively and leaned back in his chair.

"However, we won't be able to avoid charities altogether."

Starscream pouted.

"If I promise to reduce the frequency at which I attend this kind of function, will you promise not to fuss and let me pay for you?"

"I- you can't just give me things like that on a regular basis."

Starscream obviously valued his independency.

"You will be my bonded mate. What is mine is yours. I wouldn't want any form of compensation other than the fact that you learn to accept this kind of gift."

"But," Starscream hit the armrest of his chair, "I already feel like a charity case myself. It's wrong."

"I told you I don't want gifts back or favors or whatever you currently fear. I can't not show myself, I won't be able to go alone once we're bonded, so you'd do me a great favor by accepting the deal."

"Hmm." Starscream looked at him. "If you say you will reduce the frequency, how many of these things per vorn are we talking here?"

"Ten or so."

"Three."

They haggled for a while until Starscream agreed to six with much grumbling.

Decisions about the other invitations could wait until Starscream after this night's get-together. Prime called Mirage, apologizing for the lateness of his answer, but was waved off with the usual geniality.

"I can imagine mine was not the only message waiting for you this morning."

As the orn before, Starscream then tried to work in Prime's office. It went marginally better than the previous experience, as in, Prime sometimes managed to go through an entire report without staring at his intended who was impossibly cute when he was concentrating.

Occasionally, they would catch each other looking and then an entire breem could pass before one of them managed to tear their optics away.

xxx

But the afternoon did end eventually. After a quick trip to the washracks, Prime fetched Starscream at the guest quarters and they walked towards the Senators' residences.

The corridors here had rich, dark blue carpeting, which seemed to fascinate Starscream. "It's soft enough to sleep on," he said, testing the give of it with a heel. "Such a waste."

"It's some sturdy polymer, I'm told, to muffle footsteps. There are sparklings living here and anyone who likes to recharge late probably appreciates it."

Starscream gave him a smile, but didn't comment further. He probably didn't realize that the art displayed in the office wing or the imported stone lining the walls in the red conference room were a lot more expensive than the Palace's entire silicone-based carpeting.

Most likely, this was the first time Starscream saw wall-to-wall carpeting at all.

Prime held out a hand and together, they walked the hallways to Mirage's quarters.

They had to wait a bit after ringing the door chime, until Mirage opened, looking flustered.

"I'm afraid my guest of honor isn't very pleased to relinquish his VIM status to you," he explained.

"We'll try to be unobtrusive," Prime promised, but felt Starscream's hand grip his a little tighter. He squeezed back.

They followed Mirage into his living room, where two white mechs were carrying on a conversation while the other three seemed too tense.

Mirage cleared his vocalizer and managed to sound unconcerned while introducing Senator Meridian, his bondmate Livewire, and Livewire's brother Wheeljack to Starscream. The other two mechs Prime only knew from pictures: Sunstreaker, _the_ up and coming painter, and his twin, Sideswipe.

Prime tried to ignore their glowers and asked what brought them here from Praxus.

"We're here for the fundraiser next decacycle," Sideswipe said. "We figured being early and doing some advertising couldn't be amiss."

Prime nodded, guessing at the event. "We planned to attend, too," he said. Next to him, he felt Starscream tense.

"Right," Sunstreaker said before Prime managed to elaborate. "Because the sentiment's so sincere."

"It wasn't exactly our fault that your city's defense barricaded themselves in the most precious building you had," Starscream snapped back.

"You could have just left us the slag alone," Sideswipe pointed out.

Starscream's look became pinched. Prime fought the urge to grab his intended, carry him outside and declare it a failed experiment. But Starscream shifted his weight ever so slightly. "No, we couldn't have. Whoever controls Praxus controls the Polyhex plains as well."

Sideswipe blinked. "You mean overrunning us was actually a strategic decision?"

"Yes. And in case you didn't notice, we did less damage coming in than the Autobots did when they tried to get us out."

"That is correct," Wheeljack offered cheerfully, ever unhelpful. Indeed it was true – Praxus had been annexed within an orn and was still relatively intact, unlike the Kalis outskirts or most of Tarnian territory. But shifting blame was useless.

"You know," Sunstreaker turned to Prime, "I do remember the mumbo jumbo from the news back then. You could have just let them have the South. It's not like there's anyone but them living there."

"Yes," Prime admitted. Attacking Praxus had been a preemptive strike, in hindsight. "Unfortunately, both my predecessor and the Council had other ideas."

"Of course they had other ideas," Meridian intercepted. "Cybertron's unity is holy. The two state solution can only be temporary."

Starscream considered him. "Prepare to redefine temporary, then."

"If there is peace and mutual respect, I don't think diversity will threaten Cybertron's unity," Mirage said.

"Mutual respect is a few vorns away," Starscream observed. "Most of you don't even accept that we had a right to fight in the first place, and Megatron wasn't the most intelligent choice when it came to figureheads."

"There was a lot of deliberate miscommunication," Mirage said, ignoring the last comment. "But you are a mech of public interest now, so perhaps one of the major news agencies would be interested in a detailed interview or an essay or so."

Starscream looked at Prime as if asking permission.

"It's a good idea. Sentinel didn't actually leave notes on how bad you were being treated, and it took me awhile to figure out why so many of yours were proclaiming liberty or death."

"I'll think about it."

"Wonderful." Mirage beamed. "Now, Sunstreaker… how did your visit with Argon go? I hear he wanted you to show at his gallery."

Just like that, everyone relaxed. The rest of the evening passed with small talk. As expected, Starscream was having difficulties, having no reference points for the gossip and generally not being very good at socializing. Also, while he did have his stint at an Academy, and it had smoothed his Vosian accent, he lacked a broader education that included art, literature and other such fine things. He was probably out of his depth, but he wasn't showing it much.

However, he did start fidgeting as the third joor rolled around, and Prime took that as their cue to leave. "It's been a nice evening, but I'm afraid we've had a busy orn. If you'd let us retire for the night?"

Mirage did, of course, and after a round of farewells, Prime and Starscream were back outside. Prime offered his hand, but Starscream ignored it in favor of leaning against Prime for a moment.

"I didn't think them that exhausting," Prime joked.

"I swear I've never sat through so much inane chatter."

"Socializing isn't inane. Don't tell me you've only ever had deep conversations."

"No. But they were more to the point."

"Mirage and Meridian were brought up to know how to talk circles around everything. But I guess that it might have turned out differently if you weren't who you are."

Starscream looked up at him, optics narrowed suspiciously. "And I am who?"

"You are Starscream." Prime nuzzled Starscream's helm. "But they mostly see the enemy, a social upstart and my intended, and I believe these implications are hard to work around."

"Smooth." Starscream grinned at Prime.

"Thank you." Overcome with the sudden urge to kiss Starscream, Prime did just so.

xxx

The orns until the fundraiser passed quickly, if uneventfully. The peace talks were apparently drawing to a close, so Xaaron had seen fit to choose a date for the ceremony. Soon after, Manners sent the provisional guest list so Prime and Starscream could check it over.

Prime invited his creators to tell them the news himself, and it was another exercise in awkwardness.

"Doesn't it hurt?" asked Starscream once they had seen them off.

Prime shrugged. "It's going to take some time to fix this."

"That wasn't what I asked."

"It stings," Prime allowed. "And it will continue to do so until Override apologizes."

"Mh. I don't know if I could stand this." Starscream had that faraway look on his face again, as always when his lost sparkling came up.

"I became used to it."

"I don't think this is something you should get used to."

Starscream went silent and broody for the rest of the evening.

xxx

As Starscream had predicted, there were questions about what they were expecting as gifts as soon as the invitations had made it to the respective addressees. After wracking his brain for a joor, Starscream came up with 'some more datapads and some free book downloads', and Prime couldn't think of anything. Being Prime meant he got spoiled as it was, he didn't need more clutter to collect dust on his shelves.

In the end, they decided to ask for credits. They'd put some of those into a fund – if they ever had a sparkling they'd need it for the bitlet's education – and the rest would go to various charities.

Other than that, Prime was still trying to get used to the fact that he was sharing his office with Starscream now. They both probably would have been working more effectively on their own, but Starscream's occasional mutterings and the regular tap of a stylus on a datapad were comforting in their own way.

Starscream, after considering Mirage's idea, had opted to start a public diary on the net. The interest was overwhelming, so he'd locked the comment option on the Palace's net admin's insistence.

It was something of a surprise for Prime that Starscream was good at writing essays.

Starscream never offered personal details, but somehow, seeing the facts of his life in writing was intimate knowledge anyway. At least Prime got to see the drafts before anyone else did, and didn't feel quite as deprived as he would have been otherwise, upon learning those things by proxy.

Like that Starscream had never had a room to himself until he was placed in that too small guestroom. How he marveled at the many windows, because in Vos you had to bribe or interface your way into quarters that had them. How he'd met an apprentice archivist who seemed so much younger than he was, only to learn the mech was half again Starscream's age.

From those small observations, you could piece together a drab, hopeless existence. After reading the third, Prime had asked, "aren't you afraid to share that much with the world outside? It seems… very private."

"It's not. There isn't a mass produced soldier or miner who wouldn't have the same experiences. I'm merely giving them a voice."

Prime had nodded and felt his insides twist in shame. He have actually thought about the data to which he had had access as an archivist. It had been such convenient reasoning to keep some of their own as mere slaves without ever calling them so, and the economic damage had been enormous when the slaves had finally rebelled.

Starscream had looked at Prime oddly, as if knowing what he was thinking, and had risen to hug him a little. "It's not your fault," he had insisted.

Prime had held on a little tighter, wishing it were true, that it hadn't been the laziness and thoughtlessness of people like himself who had let it go on as long as it did.

xxx

There was no real way to prepare Starscream for something as big as the fundraiser. Prime made a point to invite Mirage twice for some energon so that Starscream would have at least one more familiar face there. They got along well, and Mirage had the gift of not making things awkward.

In the end, the evening of the party rolled around. They took a transport to the Constellation, Iacon's most expensive hotel, with Ironhide and some broody red minibot as bodyguards. Starscream was fidgeting the entire way.

"Having second thoughts?"

"I'm just missing my nullrays."

Prime nodded. Out here was former enemy territory.

They arrived to a flurry of media mechs and their entreaties to pose here and look there and smile, please. The inevitable, but thankfully small crowd of curious onlookers clamored for autographs and pictures until the next semi-important guests arrived and were pounced.

Mirage was waiting for them in the lounge, complimented Starscream on his waxing and then dragged them off into the hall.

It was decorated in Praxian style for the occasion. Almost indecent amounts of sculptures, made of the crystals the city was famous for, crowded every available niche. Some of these would be auctioned off later. A giant tapestry hung from the back wall, displaying the proud V-shaped sigil of the city's emirate.

Starscream seemed dazed by this pompous display, but didn't have time to ogle. Mirage tugged at Prime's arm and made them follow him to the nearest group of people they absolutely had to meet.

It went well for about ten breems. Then, a scandalized voice behind Prime said, "How could you bring this abomination here."

Starscream twitched, and Prime caught his upper arm. "I don't see any abominations. Do you?" he murmured into Starscream's audio.

"Prime," the voice continued.

Prime turned and nodded his head. "Emirate Insight." That little busybody. "I don't believe you've met my intended yet? This is Starscream."

Starscream nodded, a smirk on his face. "Emirate. We meet at last."

Emirate Insight frowned.

"I would have expected you to be there when we negotiated with the defenders of Praxus," Starscream explained.

Ouch.

The crowd seemed to think so as well. Mutterings spread, reminding everyone that the Emirate had been the first to flee and the last to return.

For a moment, Insight just bristled. "Praxus wasn't defensible at the time. There remains the question of you pretending sympathy with us."

More mutterings, supporting Insight this time.

"The Vos and Kaon Academies were destroyed a long time ago," Starscream said. "I know exactly what you are missing."

"As if war machines and mining drones need an education", Insight scoffed.

All noise in the hall stopped.

From the silence, a familiar hum-growl rose like on the advent of a battle. Prime noticed belatedly that it was Starscream making the noise.

"I should kill you," Starscream spat. "Kill you and mount your parts on the walls of Vos, for belittling our culture so."

"I'd call that barbarism, not culture."

"Broadcasting someone's execution on the net so that their sparkling can watch them being tortured isn't barbarism?"

Primus. They'd never learned the mech's name. He'd been shot down at a battle over in Tarn, and wouldn't even divulge his designation. But the medic had reported a relatively new fissioning scar, so Prime had ordered for him to be held captive until a prisoner exchange. The then Emirate of Tarn had had other ideas, and somehow a video had made it onto the net.

Emirate Insight mouthed silently, as if testing several sentence-starts.

"Enough," Prime said. "In case you didn't notice, Emirate, it was an attitude like yours that started the war. We have never been the wronged party."

"But Prime…," someone spoke up. "They attacked us first."

"Vector Prime turned an entire people into slaves," Prime said. "It's unfortunate we never managed to make amends before it was too late."

He found himself being stared at by hundreds of blue optics. He'd said the s-word, the exact word the council and senate had always been so careful to avoid.

"Um." As ex-special ops, Mirage was used to quick thinking. "This is an interesting lookout on history. I know you were an archivist once. Why is this version of events new?"

"It's not new," Prime said. "It's only never mentioned outside the archives. Apprentices are encouraged to avoid the topic if they ever want a promotion. Starscream is currently doing a survey on the data we have."

"Oh?" Mirage turned to Starscream, asking a barrage of questions, and slowly conversations around them resumed, while Emirate Insight stalked off to seek comfort from his courtiers.

The rest of the evening was bearable. Both Sideswipe and Sunstreaker bothered to say hello and made a bit of small-talk, until Sunstreaker came out with a request for Starscream.

"I'd like you to sit for me."

"Excuse me?"

"I'd like to paint you," Sunstreaker rephrased.

"Why?"

"To figure out the attraction. We were taught to abhor Seeker builds, and now I keep wondering how they managed to make us find you ugly."

Starscream's optics narrowed. "If this is a joke, I'm not laughing."

"No. I just can tell that there are some who look at you the old-fashioned way, and some who don't, and I want to know where I made the transition." Sunstreaker floundered at having to explain his wish.

"You do realize that he is my intended," Prime cut in, insides bursting with suppressed laughter at Sunstreaker's mortified look.

"I- it's not that…"

"I know." Prime looked at Starscream. It was his decision.

"I want to see some of your other portraits first. And I might ask for a favor in return."

"Anything."

Starscream laughed. "You need to be careful with such promises."

Again, Sunstreaker was at a loss for an answer, until Starscream waved it off. "I know what you meant. So. You did say you were going to show here in Iacon?"

Thus Prime found himself invited to a vernissage, which was new, even for him.

xxx

The new orn brought an avalanche of headlines (Prime a 'Con sympathizer?), and an order to meet the Council in a joor.

While Starscream used the console in Prime's office to read all the articles he could find, Prime was tired of the same stupid assumptions after skimming the first two. Instead, he reviewed statistics to build his case later.

"You've really confused them," Starscream remarked some time in. "The poor dears are so proud of their correct facts and unbiased reporting, and now you caught them off guard."

Prime grunted. "They're believing in the official sources too much."

Starscream looked at him oddly. "You do realize you're also an official source?"

Ah. Prime blinked. He was, wasn't he? He was the slagging Prime, after all, and an archivist.

Starscream offered one of his lopsided smiles.

"I'll just have to make my opinion official, then."

Prime went to check the interview requests. He agreed to one from the most serious network he knew and didn't bother to consult the Council first.

"They'll be here in the afternoon," Prime said when he'd sent his note.

"Good. It's time you started using them as they're using you."

"I've not quite reached the mastery of manipulating them like you do."

Starscream chuckled.

xxx

Once again, Prime had been ordered to the round room for the dressing down.

"So," Xaaron said, pacing under the highlight. "Would you care to explain why you deemed such an unpatriotic statement necessary?"

Prime stood to attention, his hands clasped behind his back. This was worse than he'd expected. "I wasn't aware telling the truth was unpatriotic."

"You've undermined your own pledge by hinting the Decepticons' war was just!" Xaaron stopped to let his spiky armor bristle.

"I said they had a just cause, but I don't think I said their war was just. I will elaborate on this in public, though, given that people obviously have the wrong impression."

"_You _obviously have the wrong impression, Prime. If you issue any public statement, it will be to renounce your accusation."

What? "With all due respect, Councilor, I refuse to lie or employ euphemisms any further."

"Both the miners and the jets were public servants and being paid," Xaaron said. "You have no right to call them slaves."

"What else do I call them, then? They were sparked into adult bodies, put to work immediately and never given a choice as to their occupation. The only mech from Vos or Kaon who ever made it into an academy is Starscream. We might have paid them, but in lower wage classes than willing public servants and military. Also, we deducted the insane portion of ninety five percent of that for room, board and medical assistance. Which was abysmal. I found a statistic saying that three times more Kaonian miners died from severe work injuries than those over in Tarn, even though the injury rates themselves were almost the same. What do I call them if they weren't slaves?"

Xaaron didn't respond to that, just stared at one of his fellow councilors in the shadows, maybe in silent communication.

"What's more, Councilor, is that I will be bonding to one of those former slaves, and we are currently trying to earn their good graces. If either Shockwave or Starscream feel that we disrespect them, or if we deny that they even had a reason to want freedom, I can see them not signing that peace treaty."

That would create an uproar which would make this one pale in comparison. After nearly twenty vorns of constant fighting, people just wanted their lives back. If the war continued, the government would have to issue a draft, too, and that wouldn't go over well at all.

"I'd like to pretend you actually thought about this beforehand, but as I know you, it was probably more your belligerent attitude towards this entire thing that spurred you on," Xaaron spat.

"My intended was being insulted by a noblemech who should know better," Prime said. "I chose to put matters right instead of resorting to name calling like Insight did."

Xaaron harrumphed. "We have already implied that we acknowledge the justice of their cause by accepting peace talks with them, unfortunately. We will not go so far as to apologize."

They weren't, maybe, but Prime had seen and heard enough to do so. "With your permission, I will correct some of the misunderstandings of last night. I do not condone war, and neither do I concur with Megatron's objectives, so I don't want any mech to think so."

"Permission granted," Xaaron said. "Try to keep your oath in mind while you do so, Prime."

"Always," Prime said and bowed. "Councilors."

Xaaron jerked his head. Maybe, just maybe they realized they'd been played.

Prime had the suspicion they'd agreed to the bonding because they'd assumed the Decepticon's loudmouth candidate was also mentally unstable. They would have hoped Prime's calm and sense of duty would turn Starscream into a docile advocate of the bad old ways.

They'd been wrong on all counts.

xxx

Starscream was waiting for Prime back in his office, reclining in Prime's chair, feet on the desk, obviously trying to look cavalier about the entire thing.

Prime tutted and ran a finger along the inside of one thruster. The foot twitched.

Heh. Ticklish, were we. Prime tried again. And again, the foot twitched.

"Stop that." Starscream sounded quite put out, so maybe it was a weakness that would better be exploited in private. Starscream wouldn't appreciate being reduced to giggles in full view of Bluestreak.

"So… I dare say they'll let you live," Starscream observed once he'd regained his dignity.

"Not only that. Xaaron finally admitted that maybe you had a reason to want things changed."

"And the planet still turns?" Starscream deadpanned.

"As far as I know. So, oh wise occupier of the Prime's desk chair, do you have any advice on how I should handle the interview? Is there anything you want mentioned or clarified?"

Starscream lifted one corner of his mouth. "You could just include me in the interview. I'm sure they would love it."

Prime blinked. "Would you?"

"Given the fact it's only eleven more decacycles until that point will be somewhat moot?"

Only?

Starscream laughed and finally put his feet off the desk to stand and hug Prime. "Did you really forget it was this soon?"

Prime nuzzled Starscream's helm. "I'd say it never sounded this soon before."

"Well, it never was this soon, given how time can't be stopped."

Prime chuckled, caught Starscream looking at him and just had to look back for a while. Eventually, Prime kissed him just to feel a little less foolish.

xxx

The media mech turned out to be Edgewise, a spindly silver bot with a surprisingly smooth voice. Prime had met him before, and Edgewise had struck him as a distinguished and smooth professional.

Prime took them to a small meeting room near his office where they left the guard outside, much to Edgewise's relief. Prime offered some goodies he'd had the kitchen place there.

"I'm somewhat surprised to see you both," Edgewise started once he'd set up his small recording drone on the table.

"It was a rather spontaneous decision. But in the end, he has first hand knowledge about how things were. Unfortunately."

Starscream shot him a little smile. "It's over now."

"That it is," Edgewise said. "But for the sake of the audience, let's start at the beginning. I'm told things escalated last night when Starscream threatened Emirate Insight."

"It started when Insight called my intended an abomination and a war machine. Starscream had every right to defend himself."

"Heh. It wasn't the best shot at a defense, though," Starscream offered. "A long time ago, mounting the shells of formidable or powerful enemies on the walls was done to strike fear into the sparks of eventual attackers. Insight is neither formidable nor powerful. Besides, we haven't done this in a while and we're hoping we'll never be in a position again where we have enemies."

And so on. Prime repeated his speech on slavery. Starscream added details.

In the end, it seemed as if Edgewise's professional distance was slipping.

"If this is the truth…" he said.

"Not if," Starscream said. "I have no reason to exaggerate. With less repressing circumstances, we might have continued as it was."

"My data is correct," Prime added. "It can be viewed in the archives by anyone who is looking. Only it appears the looking was done far too late. For which I am sorry."

"So you're saying the Decepticons were right?" Edgewise latched onto that.

"It would depend. Do I agree with Megatron's urge to destroy or conquer all enemies? No. Do I condone warfare? No. If Megatron had been after the rights of the people he was leading, he could have stopped after Praxus. He had the military advantage and was in a position to negotiate."

"Yes. Unfortunately, he was immune to this kind of counsel, and rather charismatic," Starscream said.

"Ah. I do have to agree he had a knack to give speeches," Edgewise said. "So now that your positions are made clear, would you grace the audience with an answer to one personal question?"

"That would depend on the question," Prime said.

"Of course. As you have indubitably realized, there is some talk about you two referring to each other as your intended, whereas Councilor Xaaron made it look as if you had been asked to bond?"

"It's complicated," Prime admitted. "But Starscream asked, and I accepted, and that's all that matters." He smiled at Starscream, who smiled back, for once totally unconscious of the camera. Prime just had to look.

Edgewise cleared his vocalizer and left after thanking them profusely.

xxx

Later, they sat on Prime's couch and watched the interview as well as Edgewise's commentary on it.

It was interesting to hear Edgewise had been apprehensive about the bonding. While he didn't think Starscream to be a mindless drone, he certainly considered him a ruthless killer without any capacity for emotions beside hate or anger. "But it's clear they're both smitten. According to popular opinion, Starscream shouldn't be able to fall in love. He shouldn't be able to summon the dry wit he's showing. But he obviously does, so this part of the information was wrong, and I find myself wondering which other parts of those so-called truths are correct."

"Heh." Starscream wriggled his nose. "Good choice there for an interview partner."

"Thank you," Prime said. "People used to trust his judgment. I hope this doesn't change."

"Hey." Starscream kissed him. "Wasn't I supposed to be the pessimist here?"

xxx

Apart from a few love letters and death threats, two decacycles passed in relative calm.

Northern media finally overcame age-old fear and trickled into Vos and Kaon. The sheer novelty of heretofore assumed near-drones organizing themselves and actually succeeding caused a flurry of reports and documentaries, and eventually questions. If an entire population of uneducated mechs was able to elect a working government and senate, why were there rules banning exactly this kind of mech from elections in the north?

They were careful questions but they were there, under the surface, always.

xxx

Sunstreaker's vernissage rolled around and brought a flurry of unfamiliar faces. Mirage was there, though.

A surprise guest appeared at Prime's elbow when Mirage was talking to someone else.

"Fancy meeting you here, boss-bot."

"Jazz." Optimus smiled. "I wasn't aware you'd been invited."

"Well… given how you two remain somewhat elusive, I've decided to introduce myself."

Prime quelled a short bout of guilt. "You haven't met Starscream yet. Starscream, this is Jazz."

Starscream nodded. "You're the mech who made us face the public."

Jazz offered his long-perfected look of utter innocence. "Me? I have no idea what you're talking about."

"We're not angry," Prime said. "The positive outcome outweighs the minor discomfort we suffered."

"Good to hear. So, what are you two doing here? Optimus isn't exactly a connoisseur of the arts," Jazz added in a stage-whisper to Starscream.

"We were invited. Sunstreaker was present at the infamous evening," Prime explained, ignoring the jibe.

"Really? That can't be all."

"He wants me to sit for him," Starscream said, apparently still somewhat amazed at the request.

"Yeah. I can see the appeal of getting to look at you for orns on end."

"Stop being crass, Jazz," Mirage's smooth voice interjected. A nanoklick later, he shimmered into visibility.

"I was just being friendly. As you would have noticed back in the time when you didn't have a pipe shoved up your exhaust."

While Mirage was busy spluttering, Prime caught Starscream's optic. They both weren't really keen on being dragged into this particular fight.

"Are you two sure you wish to have this discussion here?" Prime ventured.

"If we don't have it here, where he can't run off, we're not gonna have it at all," Jazz said.

"I believe there is nothing to be discussed," Mirage huffed.

"See," Jazz said. "What did I tell you?"

Prime sighed.

Starscream made a show of clearing his vocalizer. "Seeing as you both still have the capacity to hurt each other, the discussion might even have a positive outcome."

They both blinked at Starscream.

"I maintain that the time for discussions is long over," Mirage said.

Jazz scoffed and walked off.

For a moment, Mirage looked like he wanted to grab Jazz and stop him from leaving.

"You still want him," Starscream said. "You're hurting just as much as he is. Why did you dump him?"

"That's none of your business," Mirage snapped, then looked taken aback by his own tone.

"First Jazz used me to draw your attention, then you decided to break loose an argument over it despite your assurance that you don't care anymore. If you two drag me in, then it is my business."

"It wasn't my intention to-"

Starscream sneered. "Of course not. But I'd like you to consider something. Your own Prime is going to bond to some lowlife Seeker scum, namely myself."

"You're not scum."

"But it took you a while to realize that, no? Anyway, people seem to be coming to the same conclusion as you, given how I wasn't insulted even once this evening. When is the time to have courage if not now?"

Mirage shook his head, then fled, citing some new arrival he absolutely had to greet.

"Primus save me from idiots," Starscream said to Prime. "Those two are worse than TC and 'Warp when they're having a spat. I've spent vorns trying to not let them make me choose sides. It's very annoying."

"I can imagine. Though I am inclined to take Jazz's side here."

"Hrrm. I don't know. That mech can be pretty crude when he sets his mind to it. It might be part of the reason."

"Jazz wouldn't embarrass Mirage that way."

"Does Mirage know that? They weren't exactly official, as you told me."

"Hmm." That was true.

"They do need to have that discussion."

"You are thinking of matchmaking."

Starscream just grinned.

The rest of the evening passed in mostly pleasant socializing.

In the end, Starscream agreed to Sunstreaker's request, which meant that for the next three orns, he was busy standing in an archway of the older part of the Palace and being absolutely still.

Starscream ranted a little, because he'd been asked to sit, not stand, but the result was well worth the discomfort. Starscream wasn't sure why anyone would want a painting of him, even after seeing it, and outright dismissed the idea when Prime tentatively mentioned that he would buy it if Starscream wanted to keep it. Prime himself found that he didn't need to be reminded that Starscream was proud, intense and beautiful.

It went to the gallery, caused another media hype, garnered Sunstreaker a death threat and sold pretty quickly to the Academy, due to its historical value. That made Starscream preen.

xxx

More time passed, and sometimes Prime would get a stirring in his fuel tanks as the ceremony's date was growing nearer and nearer.

A decacycle after the nearly disastrous vernissage, Prime invited Jazz over, trying to make up for his earlier neglect. Starscream got along well with the special ops mech after ranting at him once to stop his flirting.

"Your intended is something else," Jazz said when Prime accompanied him to the gate.

"Really."

"Shrewd and resilient. I think you're lucky that he likes you."

Prime made a noncommittal noise. If Starscream disliked him, he wouldn't have come up with his scheme in the first place. "He's not above using people, but I think he's doing it less than he wants others to believe."

"Maybe. He's subtle. He landed himself a place here, and that alone is guaranteeing change."

"So you think he does have a place here."

"He made himself one, more like."

"With a little of your help."

"I have no idea what you are talking about, Optimus. Though I'll admit I miss the more hands-on aspects of my job. Nowadays, I'm lucky if I can leave my desk."

Prime smiled and remembered Starscream's decision to matchmake. "Hmm. Did you know that Councilor Arcane is going to enter his thousandth vorn in the office the orn after next? There's going to be a reception in the main hall, lots of nobility from all over the planet, endless speeches… you know the deal." Lots of guards, too, to challenge Jazz.

"Yeah… you poor bot," Jazz teased. "You'll skip the socializing, I gather."

"Of course." He'd be home early, and it was all the incentive Jazz needed to consider it an invitation.

xxx

For all that Arcane was the youngest of the councilors, the reception was just as portly as something for Xaaron would have been. Even the delicious energon and the goodies didn't make the speeches more bearable. Prime had been expected to add his two credits, but he'd tried to keep it short, as he always did.

"I'll be obliged to attend all of those things if you're invited, won't I?" asked Starscream miserably as the so-called official part drew to a close.

"Think of it as supporting your bondmate in times of dire need."

Starscream laughed.

Some heads turned, which made Starscream sober up and stare back coolly.

"If I may," Mirage said, approaching them, "one wouldn't expect you to be in such a good mood."

Starscream raised an optic ridge. "Well. I'd rather not be tonight's entertainment. If you two will excuse me, I'll find my assigned watchmech and retire for the night."

"Of course" Prime hadn't expected Starscream to bow out this soon and this gracefully. "Good night."

"Night." Starscream offered a peck on Prime's cheek and was off.

"I hope I didn't interrupt any plans you had for tonight," Mirage said.

"No, not at all. I'm mildly surprised he didn't nod off for the speeches… but I guess other people's bad manners are a better excuse than plain tiredness."

Mirage chuckled. "Indeed. He's really quite different from what I thought he would be."

"Oh, yes," Prime said. "He continues to surprise me."

"May I ask how?"

"You may. You and I haven't really talked in a while, have we."

"No."

"If you'd be amenable to some high grade at my place, I might answer that question on the way."

"Of course. I don't think we'll be particularly missed in this throng."

They sneaked off and walked the garden in silence for half a breem before Mirage gently prodded for his answer.

"Oh yes," Prime said. "I never expected him to be agreeable, or even polite. He's put a lot of effort into pulling himself together and making a good impression. I don't know how he does it, but he shouldn't be this… sane, actually."

"He has issues?" Mirage shot Prime a look, but didn't sound particularly surprised.

"He's good at hiding them. He doesn't trust lightly, and he's very sensitive about money."

"Something tells me that's not the extent of it."

"I don't presume to know the full extent. And most of what I know is so private that I shouldn't share it without his permission."

"Hmm." Mirage was silent for a few steps. "So despite being mistrustful, he trusts you with his issues."

"Yes. That was part of the surprises." Prime cycled air for a sigh. "He trusts me. And he does have feelings for me."

"It's the only thing that is plainly obvious about him," Mirage said.

"Is it?"

"Of course. It surprised a lot of people initially. No one thought he could summon that kind of feelings. So I'll revoke my earlier statement. You two are a probably not a match made by Primus, but you're complimenting each other and you're treating each other with respect. It seems to be a healthy foundation for a bond."

"Thank you. It's more than I dared to hope for when you gave me the news."

"It's more than anyone should dare to hope for." Mirage sighed. "I certainly don't think I'll ever find someone like that."

"Jazz seemed to have fit the qualifications."

"I don't know. We existed in a bubble. It wasn't real, Optimus."

Ah. Starscream had been right. "Wasn't it? I understand you couldn't make it official when you both were enlisted. But now you aren't his subordinate anymore. You could have given it a try."

Mirage stopped. "I know he's your friend, Optimus, but are you blind? You know how he's acting in public. Flirting with everything that has legs. The innuendo, his love of dubious card games-"

"Mirage," interrupted Prime. "Jazz is our head of special operations. Do you know why Sentinel hired him?"

"He never even told me it was Sentinel who hired him," Mirage said in a small voice.

"He was hired because he is so adaptable. He's not nobility, but I understand he was raised in a wealthy household, then hit some rough spots. It means he can integrate anywhere smoothly, which is a good quality in a spy."

Mirage didn't answer, so Prime offered his arm as a support and steered Mirage towards his home.

As they entered, Mirage looked about the hall, his mulling obviously abandoned.

"He's not moving in yet?" Mirage asked.

"Excuse me?"

"Starscream. I notice you haven't made any changes to accommodate his tastes."

"He hasn't moved in yet, no. I doubt it will take long, though."

"Really. You know I'll help if you need me, or if he requires a shuttle. I expect he'll want to bring at least some of his furniture."

Prime sighed. As far as he could tell, Starscream didn't own any furniture. "The offer is appreciated," he said anyway. "Now, I remember I promised you some high grade…"

Hoping things wouldn't fall apart from here, Prime opened the door to his sitting room and commanded the lights on.

Jazz was reclining on the couch, grinning and nursing a cube.

"I can't say this is a surprise," Prime said.

"What isn't a surprise?" Mirage asked from the hall.

"I seem to have acquired an uninvited guest." Prime moved aside to let Mirage see. "Good evening. I know I shouldn't have mentioned that reception to you."

For a pico-klick, Jazz's face said that he didn't appreciate Prime's ploy. "Anything for a true challenge."

"Breaking and entering is a challenge to you?" Mirage snapped.

"It was once for you, too. Given your unique talent."

Mirage made an impatient noise. "I think I'll have to turn down that offer, Optimus. I don't wish to spoil your evening."

"No."

"Excuse me?" Mirage raised his optic ridges.

"Given the opportunity, I think I'll both lock you in there until you've explained to Jazz why you really left him. He and I were both laboring under assumptions that turned out to be wrong."

"You can't-"

"I don't care. Both of you are moping for reasons that don't exist, and quite frankly, it's driving me crazy. I won't expect you to kiss and make up, but I expect you to be honest."

With that, he shoved Mirage inside and made a hasty retreat.

He waited in the hallway, but no sound was coming forth, which meant that they were actually conversing at a low level. The door wasn't soundproof, but it only let yelling through. Prime had discovered that on the one occasion he had had Ironhide and Ratchet over, who were very fond of gratuitous arguing.

A joor passed until Mirage opened the door. "Jazz left via the windows," he said in a conversational tone. "He didn't like how you set us up."

"I'll have to apologize to him, then. I'm also sorry for forcing you into this situation and making you uncomfortable, but something tells me I won't regret it."

Mirage offered a secretive little smile. "I'll need to think about this. So, if you'll excuse me…"

"Of course." Prime opened the front door for him. "Good night."

He stood in the doorway and watched as Mirage's retreating figure was joined by another pale shape somewhere in the distance.


	7. Interlude 3

Thanks again for all your responses. I'm starting to feel quite overwhelmed. Here's some sweets for you:

* * *

Interlude III

Starscream stared at the two Seekers sitting on the berth opposite his. They'd taken an end each, keeping their distance, but still Starscream felt as if they were presenting a united front against him. After all, Skywarp had invited Thundercracker to sit on his berth in the first place, and hadn't bothered with asking Starscream.

They were going to be his trine.

It hadn't really started to sink in yet, with the orn having been so busy. His captain had called him away from weapons training to do some flying exercises with two Seekers from another sector, letting each of them lead in turn. He then had decided that they were to be a trine, and, oh, that Starscream was supposed to be leader.

They'd been too surprised to protest. The captain had ordered them to go pack and move here and to get their bonding over with.

Only by sheer willpower Starscream hadn't locked himself into their new, private washracks. He didn't want to be here.

After a few more breems of silence Thundercracker said, "I think they expect us to sparkshare." He sounded as unhappy as Starscream felt.

"I don't want to," Starscream said. He was alleged leader, it had to count for something, at least.

"Good," Skywarp confessed. "It's not that I find you two ugly, but I don't make a habit of sharing a berth with people I don't know."

Huh. Starscream watched as Thundercracker gave Skywarp an odd look.

Skywarp blinked. "You two haven't even done it before, have you." He seemed horrified.

Thundercracker offered an embarrassed smile.

Starscream hunched over and looked at the floor. He didn't want to see their faces anymore.

"It's no reason to be ashamed," Skywarp said. "About not having experience. Or about the opposite. Even if you were a total mechwhore, it wouldn't be reason to feel ashamed."

"I don't want to talk about it," Starscream whispered.

In hindsight, it had been as good as a confession, because Thundercracker made a small, worried sound and came over to draw him into a hug. Skywarp followed a moment later, after catching on.

For some odd reason, Starscream didn't feel like struggling, so he just let them comfort him. Let himself be rocked and didn't protest at the nonsensical promises that they'd protect him.

xxx

Starscream sidled back into their quarters rather late at night, after getting caught up in some text about exobiology in the library.

Both TC's and Warp's berths were empty. Starscream frowned. While Skywarp sometimes sought company for extracurricular activities, TC didn't. Unless they were out together.

No. Skywarp had made it pretty clear he considered the trine as not eligible, because they were twenty, or, in Starscream's case, twenty-five, vorns younger than he was. Warp steadfastly refused to acknowledge that TC was growing up and wasn't the baby he'd been eight vorns ago.

Starscream was rather content to remain their kid brother, but Warp's obliviousness was grating on TC.

Sighing, Starscream opened a comm. line and hailed his blue wingmate.

The answer took a long time, and it sounded testy. "What?"

"Where the frag are you?"

Another half a breem passed. "In the washracks."

"Our washracks?" Starscream stared at the door in question.

"Where else."

"Why?"

There was no reply this time.

Starscream took the few steps and knocked. "Can I come in?" he asked aloud.

"No."

So Starscream leaned his back against the door. "It's about Warp, isn't it. You're in love with him."

"I- yes."

"He's totally unaware. He's so used to playing protector. I think he has a hard time letting go of that role."

After a breem of silence, the door to the washracks slid open and deprived Starscream of his backrest. TC stared at him. "You don't think it's because he doesn't love me?"

"No. I think he's not seeing you in that way yet. I don't know if he even realizes you have that kind of cravings."

"No?"

"No." To buy some time, Starscream dusted himself off. "It doesn't help you don't react to anyone's flirting."

"But I don't want to flirt with just anyone. I want him."

Starscream sighed. "Look. Flirting doesn't mean anything. Not when there's no official courting involved. Consider it practice. Also, it will make Skywarp realize you've grown up."

TC tilted his head. "When did you get so wise?"

"It did take me several decacycles to figure it out." Starscream drew TC into a hug. "But the headaches were for a good cause."

xxx

Starscream jogged along the hallway hugging the letter close. (With a handwritten signature! On actual paper!) Outside his trine's quarters, he hacked the code into the lock and bounced on his toes as he waited for the door to open.

"Guess what!" he crowed as he finally slipped inside.

TC and Warp, sitting on Skywarp's berth and watching something on Warp's new portable console, blinked at him.

"Um," Warp finally ventured. "No. You're dying to tell us, so spill."

Starscream plopped down next to him, threw an arm around his shoulder and waved the letter in Warp's face with his free hand. "I got the scholarship! I'm going to Iacon!"

"Really?" TC leaned forward so he could look past Warp. "They're letting you go?"

"Yes! I skipped the tactics lecture and got all the datawork done and I'll be leaving in ten decacycles."

Skywarp drummed his fingers on his thigh. "I don't like it."

Starscream sagged.

"Aww. Kid. Don't be like that." Remorse crawled over the trine link.

"We're just worried," TC offered. "Iacon, that's… it's on the other side of the planet. And they're supposedly pretty biased against Seekers."

"They took me on. Besides, I plan to un-bias them."

Skywarp chuckled. "Not full of yourself, are you."

Starscream pouted. "Why don't you admit you never even thought I'd get a scholarship in the first place?"

Skywarp melted somewhat and let his worry filter through. "We promised to protect you, is all. How are we supposed to do that when you're half a planet away?"

"Maybe I don't want protecting anymore," Starscream snapped.

They shrank back. TC went so far as to lay a hand on Skywarp's knee, as if he needed comfort.

Starscream shook his head. "I'm sorry. I just- I need to do this. There's no future for me here."

"There's always a chance they won't skip us at promotions anymore, some orn," Skywarp said.

"I'm not talking about fragging promotions! I know I'm good at being a soldier, but I- it's not what I want to be."

Their confusion came through clearly, as always when he tried to give name to the longings he felt. More than once, Starscream had suspected Vector Sigma had messed up when sparking him, because while mechs here frequently complained about their living conditions, they never questioned their role as soldiers.

"What do you want to be?" TC asked.

"I'm not sure," Starscream admitted. "But I want to see what they're not showing us. I… I don't think I can decide as long as I don't have an idea of what really is out there."

TC sighed. "I just wish we could come with you."

"So do I," Starscream said. "So… does that mean you'll let me go?"

"We wouldn't have made you stay," Skywarp said. "You're maybe the only Seeker who's living up to the title."

xxx

In his dark prison, he sometimes could feel TC and Skywarp, but not often. Megatron never said anything, but Starscream had a suspicion his trine had been sent off to another base. Megatron would have assumed they were in on the deception he still suspected.

Starscream shut them out. He didn't want them to witness the humiliation.

xxx

"You're insane!" Skywarp shouted. "I know there's some idiots who don't like you, but most of us want you here."

"Inside jobs tend to be more effective," Starscream said.

"I'm not protesting the need for a fragging inside job. But there's other mechs for that, and you slagging well don't have to bond for it."

Starscream looked away. Yes, he did.

"It's utter nonsense. We're willing to move there with you, no problem. We can keep an optic on you."

Starscream rested his chin on his drawn up knees. Why did they have to make such a big deal of this? It was his life.

"You don't trust us to keep you safe," TC concluded from his corner. He'd retreated there to give Skywarp room to pace, and hadn't said anything on the matter yet.

"You'd trust a complete stranger over us?" Skywarp stopped his pacing to stare at Starscream. "I didn't realize you were this messed up."

Starscream shuttered his optics. "Get out," he said, trying to keep his voice even.

Skywarp spluttered, but didn't move.

"You're really not very helpful right now, Warp," TC said. "Show me the mech who wouldn't be messed up after this. Besides, there were at least a dozen mechs who knew what was going on, and only three of us have something that might be an excuse. I understand perfectly well why he wants out of this place. I can even get behind the reasoning for the other thing."

Starscream onlined his optics again to give TC a grateful look.

"I didn't say it was healthy reasoning, Screamer." TC came walking over to squat in front of Starscream. "Can you promise one thing?"

"Hmm."

"Leave yourself an out. Some kind of small print that allows you to bow out of the agreement if he isn't what you think he is."

Starscream considered the option. "I'll talk to Shockwave about it."

TC didn't look satisfied. "You realize we do this because we're worried, do you? It's not because we enjoy grating on your circuits or because we want to run your life for you. We see how you're refusing to open the bond on your end, we watch you being jumpy and afraid of shadows. You're not alright, no matter what you tell us, and we think throwing yourself at someone in this condition won't help you as much as you believe it will."

Primus. But how to explain this feeling, like he was flying over an endless sea of acid, running low on fuel. "I need a safe place to land before I can even think about healing."

"I see. I'm very sorry we can't be that safe place for you. Will you let us hold you for a while anyway?"

They'd never asked for permission before his captivity, they'd just done it. But now he was eternally grateful to whomever had given them that advice. "Alright," he agreed.


	8. Part 4

No comments for this one, except more thank yous.

Edit: Typo fixed. Thanks to Wol Lo and Baird Crevan.

* * *

Part 4

Prime had planned to call Jazz first thing in the morning to apologize, but when he arrived at his office, he found Starscream pacing in front of Bluestreak's desk.

Bluestreak, who always was too early for reasons he didn't explain, looked rather aggravated, so it must have been going on a while. The aggravation was certainly a step up, too, given how Bluestreak had been afraid of Starscream not long ago.

Starscream stopped in his rounds as Prime entered, and accepted a small kiss.

"Where did you leave your guard?"

"Heh. The red grouch and I had a talk last night. He decided to up my security clearance."

"Good." Prime grinned at Starscream's apparent smugness. "But that isn't what you want to talk to me about."

"No. Can we?" He indicated Prime's office with a tilt of his head.

"Of course."

Starscream resumed his pacing once they were inside, so Prime leaned against his desk and tried to wait him out.

"You've not decided to call the bonding off, have you?" he asked eventually.

"What?" Starscream stopped short. "Why do you think so?"

"You look like you've bad news to deliver."

"No… but it's utterly ridiculous, and I shouldn't have to bring it up with you in the first place."

"Why don't you let me be the judge of that."

Starscream offered a tiny smile. "It's downright pathetic. You remember how I told you my trine was planning on moving here?"

"Yes. Have they decided against it?"

"No. But they've been looking for jobs for decacycles now, and nobody will hire them."

Prime rubbed his chin. "This isn't ridiculous at all. I'd rate this as serious."

"We're grown mechs. We shouldn't need help for that kind of thing."

"Starscream… I trust they're intelligent enough not to apply for jobs they're not qualified for."

Starscream raised an optic ridge.

"And the job situation is currently not that dire. Especially when it comes to construction."

Starscream nodded.

"So you probably came to the same ugly conclusion as I did, otherwise you wouldn't be here."

"They expected some difficulties. Of course. But we've been getting good publicity lately, and it obviously met blind optics."

"We're trying to counteract twenty vorns of war and kilovorns of misinformation. It's one thing to have you sitting safely behind the new border, but it's entirely different to actually have to interact with you on an ornly basis."

"Don't you dare defending those aftheads!" Starscream's optics had narrowed dangerously.

"I'm just trying to understand their reasoning. It would make sense to place your trine somewhere where they are seen. As a show of confidence. I'd have to talk to a few people."

"You'd do that?"

"I can't order anyone to hire them, but I might find an open minded employer by asking around."

Starscream hugged him hard enough to leave bruises.

xxx

After Starscream had bustled off to do some research in the archives, Prime called Jazz at his office.

The mech nearly glowed, and even the slight frown he had for Prime couldn't hide that.

"What do you want?"

"I'd like to apologize. It wasn't very nice to set you up like that, and I'm sorry I caused you discomfort."

Jazz wriggled his nose.

"I shouldn't have gone behind your back, but I didn't see any other option given Mirage's opinion on the matter."

This time, Jazz's mouth twitched. "I really didn't think you had it in you."

"Starscream made the plan. He wasn't exactly pleased you started flirting with him to anger Mirage."

"I see. Apology accepted. Did you tell Starscream about the outcome?"

"No. I don't know the outcome, and I didn't want to spread assumptions."

Jazz smiled in earnest now. "Good. We're not official yet. We really didn't talk all that much back then, because we were under the delusion that the little time we had was better spent with other things."

Prime nodded. "I guess you've seen the error of that way."

"So you could say. We'll just date some and try to get to know each other before we go all serious again."

Prime raised an optic ridge.

"Last night was… we needed to see if we weren't just kicking a dead turbofox."

"I don't think you should put yourself under duress about that kind of thing in either way."

Jazz must have sensed the wistful look Prime was hiding. "Hang on – you and Screamer…"

Prime offered a smile he knew to be self-deprecating. "He insists that we wait, because of some tradition, and I really can't blame him."

Jazz laughed. "Boss, you are whipped, and don't deny it. Seriously, you didn't argue it with him even once?"

"No." Prime was only surprised now that he thought about it. "I want him. But the tradition isn't the real reason… I think he's afraid he'd scare me off."

"Whoa. Well. I didn't get a sense he was this messed up."

"He is. He's not told me what happened, exactly, but I think he wanted me to know something did happen before having to show me."

"Right. That's reasonable. Why didn't you run screaming?"

"He does have endearing qualities." Prime grinned as evasion. Starscream seemed rather together for someone who should be a gibbering mess. Prime would just have to hope that he could deal with whatever had happened as well as Starscream did when the time came.

"That aside, I need you for some brainstorming."

"Ah." Jazz grinned. "Go on."

"You're aware that Seekers come in trines. It happens that Starscream's better two thirds have decided to move to Iacon for him, which dictates they'll have to earn their livelihood somehow."

"And they're not finding work," Jazz concluded for him.

"Exactly. I'd like them to be seen, too, not slave away at some construction site on the night shifts."

"You realize you can't make anyone employ them."

"I know. But I need people I can ask who'd be open to such an idea."

"Hmm." Jazz assumed his plotting expression. "What did you come up with?"

"As far as I know, they're not stupid, but are lacking formal education. I know Seekers were used for policing purposes sometimes, so this might be a start. Something that uses their programming."

"Yeah… I doubt they'd be happy as construction workers. I can't exactly see Starscream taking up with idiots either, so career opportunities would be a nice bonus. Hmm. Maybe you should call Red Alert. I hear he's back to chief of police for Unity Arch district."

Prime frowned. "He's paranoid."

"He's a mistrustful aft, is what he is. But he's had direct contact with Seekers before, and you can count on it that he's going to make his decision fully informed and not based on prejudice."

"Granted. I'll try."

"Do that. If he refuses, call me again, huh?"

xxx

And so it happened Prime tried to contact Red Alert. It took a joor until his secretary managed to dig him up and made call him back.

Red Alert didn't bother to hide his confusion. "To what do I owe the honor?"

"I have a request." Prime tried his best winning smile. "It will sound outrageous at first, but promise you'll hear me out."

Red frowned. "The last time you called your planning outrageous, you announced you'd decided to kill Megatron."

"I assure you it's much less violent. If maybe on the same level of world-changing."

"Indeed. Now what do you want me to do?"

"Starscream's two trinemates are looking for jobs in Iacon. I know I could just call in some favors and place them with the palace's maintenance or so, but they wouldn't be happy as menial workers."

"So you've decided to bully me? About Seekers? Our not-quite ex-enemies?"

"I'm not going to bully you. And they are my future in-laws, history aside." Prime cycled air for a klick. "I wanted to know if you could use some new cadets and if so, whether you'd be open to view their applications looking not at what they are, but at who they are."

Red harrumphed. "You don't want them anywhere where they can be hidden, right?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Try to compare what you were told about Seekers to what you actually know about them."

"Hmm." Out of range of the camera, Red drummed his fingers on some surface. "They're more dangerous than we thought, because they aren't mindless brutes. They have more feelings than popular opinion grants them, which is also making them more dangerous. They've been driven past breaking point, if Starscream's allegations are true."

"Yes. Do you understand I wish to prove this entire war wouldn't have been necessary if we hadn't fallen prey to our supposed superiority?"

"Yes. But how do you know they wouldn't be spying or sabotaging us?"

Prime dry washed his face. "Starscream is going to be my bondmate. They'd hurt his standing and they'd hurt him."

"Unless he's in on the plan."

"I don't think so. He wouldn't be able to hide it from me."

"Granted. – Did you really mean what you said in the interview? About him asking?"

"Yes."

Red Alert leaned back and looked off to a spot far above the camera, as if asking Primus for guidance. "Alright," he said eventually. "The next training program is going to begin in twenty decacycles. Have them fill out the standard application forms, and if they're up to par, they'll be invited for an interview… They are of age, aren't they?"

"As far as I know."

"Good. We can't hire anyone under two hundred, even if they're their own legal guardians."

"Thank you."

Red waved that off.

Prime just had to find Starscream in the reading hall of the archives after that. Starscream actually squealed at the news and then placed a sound kiss on Prime's mouth.

Huh. He offered an embarrassed grin to those mechs who had looked up from their work to stare.

"He just said he'd look at the applications," Prime then whispered.

"It's something. I need to tell them now, so… see you." Another kiss, and Starscream was off. In a motion that would have been called 'skipping' in a lesser mech.

One of the senior archivists, sorting datapads into the shelves, raised an optic ridge at Prime. Prime tried to hide his self-consciousness with another smile.

xxx

Red Alert had been true to his word, and faster than Prime had expected. It wasn't even a decacycle after their talk that Starscream came bounding into Prime's office early one morning and draped himself over the desk.

"You're a miracle worker."

Prime tried to hide his smile at the undeserved compliment. "Am I?"

"They were invited for an interview. Next decacycle."

"That's wonderful." Prime smiled. He'd feared Red would find them lacking. Idiotic, of course – Starscream had been a successful commander and wouldn't waste time on stupid lieutenants.

"It's too good to be true. Um… do you think they could stay in the guest house until they start working? If they get the jobs."

"Hmm." No sane Iaconian landlord would let an apartment to two unemployed mechs. And if Starscream didn't have credits to spare for an inn, then his trine wouldn't have them, either. "I'd love to tell you yes, but I'm not the right mech to make that decision. Why don't you ask Bluestreak to point you to the people in charge of those things."

Starscream sighed and straightened. "If you insist. I hope I won't give the kid a processor freeze."

"He's two vorns older than you are."

"You don't have to rub it in," Starscream snarled.

Blinking, Prime leaned back and spent a few clicks trying to figure out what had prompted that outburst. "If it's any consolation, you feel older than him to me, too. It was just funny, you calling him a kid."

Starscream brightened. "I suppose it would be."

"So… as long as you don't consider yourself crèche-robbed, I don't have a problem with your age."

"Good. You know there's an ongoing discussion on some psychologists' journals about me, and if they shouldn't file a complaint to the council for the sake of my mental health."

"Even if they did, it wouldn't amount to anything. You're an adult, and you asked me." Prime reached for Starscream's hands and squeezed.

"Good. I knew that, it's just…" Starscream shook his head. "You're my rock."

Prime knew he should probably be afraid at such a confession. Instead he stood to hug Starscream.

xxx

The next three orns, Starscream was busy running around the palace to requisition a room and basic security clearance for his trine, as well as flight licenses for Iaconian airspace for all three of them. To that end he actually ventured outside to the city hall on his own, and came back flying, drawing a lazy circle just outside the palace walls.

Prime watched from his office and felt relieved. The exuberance proved that Starscream was getting better, and the comparison to a rock gained a whole new meaning.

xxx

And then, the trine was due to arrive. Prime and Starscream were waiting for them outside the southern gate one evening. Prime had wanted to bow out, feeling such a reunion was better left private, but Starscream had insisted he be there.

Now, Starscream was alternately pacing or snuggling up to Prime as if worried they wouldn't come after all. This went on for a good thirty breems.

Eventually, Starscream did perk up some. "They've entered Iaconian airspace."

He had such a broad smile on his face, Prime wanted to kiss him. He barely heard the guards' comm. announcing that indeed their guests were now inside the outer walls.

Not a breem later, the roar of jet engines could be heard, and after another half breem they appeared, two shapes of shimmering flame color in the light of the setting sun. Majestic.

They did a honor lap of sorts just outside the palace's walls, making Starscream bounce on his toes again. When they finally landed, he stormed forward to first tackle the purple jet into a hug, and then the blue one. They looked faintly surprised by the welcome, but bore it with good grace and smiles of their own.

This was the former Elite Trine of Vos, masters of the sky, who'd struck fear into most Autobots' sparks at least once. It was hard to reunite that notion with the image of the purple one's goofy grin and the worried, but relieved face of the blue one, and Starscream's repeated assertions that he was fine, really.

Prime scolded himself for never bothering to learn which was which.

Eventually, the three were done with their hugging, and Starscream beckoned Prime over for introductions.

Being in close proximity of the two felt awkward. Prime smiled nevertheless when Starscream finally clarified their names for him.

Skywarp shifted somewhat, as if tempted to hug Prime.

"It's nice to finally meet you. Starscream talks about you often," Thundercracker said.

"Indeed," Prime deadpanned. "As long as it's not blackmail material."

Starscream offered a half grin and a glance at Prime, obviously glad for the save. He was not talking about them much, at least.

"How was your journey?" Prime continued.

"Alright," Skywarp said.

"Not too bad, but long," Thundercracker amended. "We didn't have a stopover."

Starscream tutted.

"I guessed you'd be tired." Prime ignored Starscream. No point in starting a discussion about prejudice or money now. "If you'd follow me, I'd like to show you to the guest quarters."

They were going to be one house over from the official Decepticon delegation. The walk was, again, filled with explanations about the garden and the palace's layout. On arrival, Prime had the distinct feeling the Seekers wanted to do their catching up without him, so he kissed Starscream good night and left.

xxx

The next orn, Starscream whirled into Prime's office just once, to deliver an invitation to come meet everyone in the evening.

As Prime made his way to the guest quarters, there was a familiar shape waiting outside, but as he came closer, it turned out to be the wrong color.

Thundercracker left his spot in the shadows and stood in the middle of the path, arms loose at his side as if ready for an attack.

Prime stopped and tried to appear non-threatening. "Good evening."

"Evening," Thundercracker said. "There's some things I need to know before I'll let you go on."

Prime tried not to bristle. "Ask away, then."

The Seeker gave him a shrewd look. "I need to know why you said yes when Screamer asked you to bond."

Huh. That was about the last question he'd expected. "Isn't it enough that I did?"

"In any other couple, maybe. But I also know he presented you with an alternative that was totally justified in his mind and probably had you question his sanity."

"And?"

"And I need to know that you didn't do it just to spare him from what you'd consider a worse fate, or because you thought you could save him."

Prime folded his arms in front of his chest and tried to puzzle out a suitable answer. "I never thought about what would have happened if I'd refused… I'd more or less forgotten about that when he asked. He was wrong anyway. I'd come to terms with the situation a lot earlier."

"That's not what I was asking." Thundercracker watched him through narrow optics.

"And I told you I didn't even think about that. It was a stroke of genius to spring the question, and I'm sure he knew what the answer would be."

Thundercracker sighed. "I should have known you'd be stubborn. I'll just have you know that in there is a mech who thinks you're honestly in love with him. I'll also have you know that the sweet, exuberant kid from last night hasn't made an appearance in decavorns. It takes a bit of getting used to having him around again. So if you hurt him, Skywarp and I will make sure you'll die a very slow death, and that even your creators won't recognize the body. You understand?"

Prime nodded. "I understand."

"Good." Thundercracker pivoted and let Prime follow him into the guest quarters.

Starscream latched onto Prime as soon as he was through the door. The common room was full, as the entire Decepticon delegation had made an appearance. There was a round of introductions, Prime was presented with high grade, and then sat with everyone at the table.

The conversation started out on the interview Skywarp and Thundercracker were going to have with Red Alert in two orns, and meandered to the lack of qualified workers in the south and other trouble they were having. While the near future didn't look too bright, the sheer enthusiasm and creativity with which the issues were tackled left Prime invigorated and positive that things would work out.

As the conversation finally hit a lull, Starscream leaned over to Prime. "Can we talk?"

"Of course."

Starscream excused them, which garnered a few lewd comments. Just to spite everyone, Prime took Starscream's hand and let himself be dragged down the hallway to Starscream's room. He took the invitation to sit on the berth, which left Starscream pacing.

"What did TC say to you?"

"The customary threats, mostly. About how I was going to die a very painful death if I hurt you."

Starscream stopped. "He did?" His face was indecipherable.

"It's not going to be an issue. I plan to do right by you."

Starscream sighed and sat down next to Prime. "I know." A small kiss on Prime's cheek followed that statement. "I just wish they wouldn't fuss so."

"I had the impression he was genuinely worried about you."

Starscream huffed. "It's never helped me in the past."

"Would you really prefer if they were indifferent?"

Starscream leaned into Prime. "No. I guess I'm just an ungrateful slagger."

"Perhaps. I'd guess you have reason to be one."

"Yeah. It's just – I know that I'll get fragged over whether they're fussing or not."

Prime stared at Starscream's helm for a moment. "You make it sound as if it were a character flaw."

"Or a bad habit, maybe."

"Hmm." It certainly explained a few things. "I'm the break in that habit, huh?"

"I'm praying for it."

Prime hummed and tried not to be offended. They had a ways to go yet.

xxx

Two orns after that, there was another party at the guest quarters, because the job interviews at the police station had gone well. Prime brought goodies, and was able to tease any Seeker present about their penchant for sweets.

Red Alert called early the next morning.

"I've taken them both on," he informed Prime. "I just wanted you to know I've already caught flak about it."

Prime nodded. "I'm sorry about that. Are they really up to your standards?"

"I wouldn't risk doubt pertaining my integrity over someone who wasn't worth it. They're both officer material. We'll see how it goes, if we can maybe send them to school."

"If there's anything I can do to call off the critics, let me know."

"I shall do that." Red smirked. "However, those critics will alert the media, so expect some uproar."

"Oh yahoo."

Red laughed.

Indeed, around mid-orn the uproar struck, with Prime accused of nepotism and Red accused of corruption. Prime issued a statement he'd merely recommended the Seekers apply with Red Alert's district. Red issued a statement that any grown mech on Cybertron was free to apply, but he rarely had a full class per vorn because he was lacking suitable candidates.

People were clamoring to speak to Red, to Prime and to the two Seekers, and the next morning, Prime was called to Xaaron's office.

Xaaron was sitting in his throne-like chair, the massive desk between them like a barricade, as if he were expecting to be attacked.

Prime wasn't asked to take a seat, so he merely stood to attention. "You wished to speak to me, Councilor."

"Yes." Xaaron drummed his fingers on the armrest. "As you did issue a non-authorized statement after your newest… stunt, I think you're aware of the situation."

"I wouldn't exactly call it a situation yet."

"That is not yours to decide. I demand a thorough explanation."

So Prime explained. He'd just given some mechs some pointers, for frag's sake. Besides, his oath had a passage concerning favoritism.

Xaaron made a noise that couldn't have been a grunt, because he was nobility, and nobility didn't grunt. "Somehow, I find it unlikely that they'd be accepted as police cadets after being turned down by other employers who surely had fewer expectations?"

"Maybe Red was the only one who actually read the entire application," Prime suggested.

"I don't like what you're saying here."

"I don't like that I have to say it. But I did get the blow-by-blow account of their job hunt."

"What if they just forged it to make you work for them?" Xaaron had a shrew look about him.

"I'd have found out about it at the bonding. Starscream has good reason to be honest with me."

Xaaron harrumphed. This was a point he couldn't beat, therefore he circled back, "You're accusing honest Iaconian citizens of being ruled by prejudice."

"I can't say, really, but I refuse to take generic rejections at face value. Also, I'd like to point out that we wouldn't be having this conversation if it were, let's say, some of my officers' nephews or so."

Blinking, Xaaron leaned back in his chair. "I don't like your attitude."

Well, Prime didn't like Xaaron's attitude, either. "With all due respect sir, I knew there was going to be some excitement over this. Thundercracker and Skywarp will be in visible positions and carry some responsibility. It's on their shoulders to prove Seekers are indeed worthy of trust. I did refer them to Red Alert with that in mind, too. However, if I had wanted to go the easy way, I could have called in some favors to place them with our maintenance crews."

"And?"

"I understand the public uproar, but I find it very telling that I have to defend myself, after all that talk about furthering mutual understanding."

Xaaron made a disgusted noise.

Prime marveled again at how much the council had shot up their ultimate goal behind the arranged bonding. There was no question both the council and the general public would have loved to go back to where both raw materials and the planetary defense were cheap.

Eventually, Xaaron sighed. "It was a very… unlucky move on your part, to let them apply with one of your old officers. We can't hinder them to work here. Very well. The council will refrain from any response to the queries."

So, there would be no support either, however flimsy.

"I expect, however, that you'll refrain from causing us further trouble," Xaaron added

"I'll do my best," Prime lied.

xxx

Some new topic caught the public's interest in a timely fashion, and life went on more quietly after that. Prime felt honored when Mirage and Jazz actually used him and Starscream as testing grounds for their new relationship. Thundercracker and Skywarp were apartment hunting, Starscream was busy doing his research. The only hitch arrived when Prime's creators refused to be ignored any longer.

Override had invited Prime over to their place in his usual gruff manner, and had forbidden him to bring Starscream. Prime decided to comply, although there was little they could have done against it – Prime was already disowned, after all.

Prime went to see them on the night exactly six decacycles from his bonding ceremony. Starscream had dutifully reminded him of that before he left, and also asked that Prime hold himself back so he'd return alive. With that in mind, Prime pressed the button for the door chime.

Coruscate opened, looking somehow smaller than usual. "Orion. Come in."

Prime followed him inside, and found that the place hadn't changed much. They'd removed all pictures that showed him in his adult frame, as if their youngling had died a long time ago. He blinked and tried not to be upset.

"You've got a new couch," he observed after greeting Override, who was standing behind it.

"Yes. We wanted something smaller," Coruscate said.

"Hmm." The thing was purplish gray, and the one before that had been dark blue. The mechs living in this place had always been far more colorful than any furniture they'd ever bought.

"Why don't you take the chair – it's height-adaptable. And can I get you something? Some high grade, maybe."

"Thanks."

Prime, however, didn't take a seat while Coruscate was busy in their small kitchen. Override's brooding form didn't allow to be comfortable.

"You did invite me here," Prime said when he couldn't take it any longer.

"Coruscate put me up to it. He's not happy with the situation."

"And you are?"

"I've accepted that slag happens."

Just how Coruscate was putting up with Override, Prime had no idea. Their sometimes troubled relationship was why he'd always fantasized about bonding one orn. He didn't think he could stand being so at odds with anyone he loved.

Coruscate's return, with the high grade and a closed look on his face, saved Prime from becoming too maudlin.

"So," Coruscate said, "how are you, Orion?"

"Fine. I still have some trouble believing I'm going to be bonded soon. It feels somewhat unreal."

"Hmm." Coruscate seemed to have doubts. "They are making you do it."

"No. No. That's not it. I _am _looking forward to it."

"That sounds a bit like you're trying to make yourself believe that," Override said.

"It does, doesn't it." He never really thought about it anymore. Everyone else just accepted that he was in love with Starscream and didn't poke further. "But… I did have the choice between making both my life and Starscream's miserable, or actually giving him a chance." Prime watched the energon in his cube for a klick. "He took it. After becoming Prime – I despaired of anyone ever having the ball bearings to propose to me."

"So it's true, what you said in that interview," Coruscate concluded.

"Yes. It was… fortunate."

"Indeed." Override obviously still didn't like it.

"Do you love him?" asked Coruscate.

Did he? Prime was certainly in love. It was too early to tell if it ran deeper than that. Besides, if someone was going to hear him finally confess, it was Starscream. "I will. But I don't think you called me here to discuss my love life."

"No." Coruscate looked off at the far wall for a moment. "I thought I was over it. Until you called. I realized how very little we know about you. I don't really want to attend the bonding ceremony of a near stranger."

"Yes. But what do you want me to do? I wouldn't be where I am now if I'd bowed to your wishes." The Matrix had no use for cowards.

"You…" Coruscate stopped and shook his head. "We had dreams for you. We never wanted you to be anything but happy."

"It didn't feel that way, back then." Prime cycled air to draw up courage not to shout. They didn't need a repeat of the fights. An apology was lurking somewhere behind Coruscate's attempt to explain instead of just repeating Override's assertions that they knew what was best for their creation. "It's not that I didn't like building things, using my hands, but I never drew the same satisfaction from it that you did."

Coruscate sighed. "It was our type of happiness we wanted for you. I realize that now. Your own company, a family with a nice mech. We cooped you up with that."

"You did," Prime said. "I was on a mission." It wasn't hard to remember his youthful enthusiasm. "I wanted to teach. I thought that if we could just learn from our history, Cybertron would become a better place."

"You're still on that mission," Override threw in.

"Yes." Different approach, same objective.

"You've certainly shaken up the place by following it."

"Good."

"I never know if I should be proud of you or smack you for putting yourself into danger," Override said.

Prime blinked. Where had that come from?

"I guess," Coruscate said, sounding timid, "what we want to say is that we're sorry. We should have gotten over our pride and supported you."

Prime shuttered his optics. He had hoped for that when he'd come here, but to actually hear it… it was nice, not having to carry a grudge anymore. Being able to look forward to having his parents at the ceremony instead of being afraid of awkwardness.

"You're forgiven."

Coruscate moved in for a hug, and Prime felt something inside him melt. He didn't have to pretend he didn't miss this anymore.

After some fidgeting, Override hugged Prime, too – very briefly, but at least he did – and then, finally, they sat down and just talked late into the night.

xxx

Starscream was sitting on Prime's front steps when Prime returned to the palace. Getting over his surprise, Prime gave him a hand up and let himself be kissed in greeting.

"Did something come up?" Prime asked when he'd ushered Starscream inside.

"No." There was an odd glitter in Starscream's optics. "I was waiting for you."

"You were waiting up for me," Prime translated.

"Wouldn't you have?" Starscream's optics narrowed.

"I- yes. Of course."

"So why are you surprised when I worry?"

Prime cycled air for a moment. There were a million wrong answers to this. "I knew you were worried. I'm just not used to someone being concerned."

"You're not allowing yourself to be selfish," Starscream said. "It's good to see I'm not the only one with issues." He didn't wait for Prime's answer to this quip, just directed Prime to the couch and made him sit down, then snuggled up close. "What did they want?"

So Prime told him. Starscream made humming noises sometimes, indicating he was listening, and poked for more when Prime stopped to think. When Prime finished, Starscream kissed his cheek once. "This is good news. I knew you were hurting."

Prime sighed. "I have trouble wrapping my mind around it."

"Heh. I doubt they're off much better."

"Probably." Prime knew apologies didn't make things magically all right again. "Would you mind if I invited them here again?"

Starscream twitched his nose. "I should probably stay away from that, at least for a while. I know they don't like me, so they probably don't want to discuss private things with me listening."

"They'll have to get used to it. And I want them to meet Thundercracker and Skywarp at least once. There won't be anyone at the ceremony they know, otherwise. Except us."

"Hrrm. And they won't be comfortable around all those high and mighty in the first place. Maybe you should introduce them to Mirage and Jazz, too."

That was, actually, a good idea. "We'll probably have to introduce your trine to those two first."

"Hmm." Starscream nuzzled Prime's shoulder.

"You're tired, aren't you."

"A little."

"You can have the couch if you'd like."

"But you're such a comfy pillow."

Prime stared down at Starscream, but he had his optics shuttered. Primus knew he wanted to carry Starscream up to his berth, recharge next to him and make love to him when they woke in the morning.

"I know someone is keeping tabs on you. What happens if you don't return to the guest quarters for the night?"

Starscream sighed. "Frag, you're right." He looked at Prime for a moment. "I can't wait."

"Neither can I." Prime looked back, and had sincere trouble to tear his gaze away from the mech who had finally, blatantly, admitted he wanted him.

Starscream grinned, kissed him softly. "Walk me home?"

Of course.

xxx

Two orns later, Starscream finally remembered he would have to move in with Prime soon. Therefore he dug up some paint for the walls of his chosen rooms and got his trinemates to help him. Then he went looking for furniture in the palace's stores.

In the end, he had transformed his penthouse into some friendly office space and a lab where he could tinker when the mood struck him. Prime decided he wouldn't remark upon the fact that there was no recharge berth. He'd assumed Starscream would want his own berth, but that had been back when Prime had been forcing himself to be friendly.

Now, Starscream felt less like an intruder. It was more like Prime was missing something when Starscream wasn't around.

xxx

The respective introductions went over well, even though it was clear Prime's creators and Starscream's trinemates had little to say to each other.

And then it was only one decacycle, and Prime started to have trouble recharging again. He endlessly agonized over the oath he was going to make, even tested it on Jazz, who said it was fine, but what if it wasn't enough? What if Starscream didn't like it?

The only comfort was that Starscream didn't seem to fare much better.

"Can't we just elope?" he asked, when there were only four more nights to go.

They were out on the roof of Prime's house, watching the stars. Out of anatomical necessity, it was Prime who had his head in Starscream's lap.

"I wish," Prime said. "But I don't think we'd survive long, given the number of people who'd be after our heads."

"Unfortunately."

"Yes. At least we don't have to bother about anything but being on time. I had a look at several sites about bonding ceremonies," all due to his insomnia, "and it's nearly given me a CPU freeze."

"I don't know. It might have been nice to have a say about some of those things they are discussing."

Prime blinked but decided not to comment on that revelation.

"Maybe," Starscream continued, "we could have a more private party once the formal parts are over. Soundwave's cassettes are disappointed they won't be allowed to be there, and the Elder trine is miffed they won't be able to bring their little one."

"Hmm." The same would be true for one of Prime's old friends from the archives, too.

"Also, Sunstreaker and Sideswipe aren't on the guest list. They'll be traveling here for the favor Sunstreaker owes me… What do you think?" Starscream stared down at him.

"I'm not sure. Another party after three orns of having to make nice?"

"A way to kick back and relax with friends after three orns of following protocol, then. Besides, the schedules aren't that busy."

Prime smiled. "I intend to keep you busy outside of schedules."

Starscream laughed. "So, can we have the party?"

"Let's call it a housewarming."

xxx

One orn before, there was a rehearsal for the bonding ceremony, about who would be sitting where and how to get onto the dais without looking stupid.

The night before the celebrations were to begin, Prime couldn't power down at all. He paced. He practiced the vow, made some last breem changes and edited them out again. He tidied up his already impeccable berthroom.

In the very early joors of the morning, Jazz called in.

"I saw there's still lights on at your place."

"You shouldn't even be awake to notice."

"I guess I have the same problem you have, boss-bot. Jitters."

Prime allowed himself to chuckle. "You have no reason to worry."

"As if it were that easy. What's eating at you, boss?"

Sighing, Prime decided to be honest. "I know Starscream's worried he's not good enough for me. But what if I'm not good enough for him? What if he thinks I'm not caring enough? Don't love him enough?"

"He won't. You are pretty obvious about the fact that you care. Besides, give the mech some credit. He'd have found a way out if he thought you didn't care."

"Probably." Prime sighed again. "Thank you. So how are you?"

Jazz made a small sound of dread. "We'll steal the headlines, I'm sure. Besides, I know Mirage is afraid of being ostracized. He never comes out and says it, but sometimes it makes me doubt the wisdom of getting back together with him."

Prime resisted the urge to make an exasperated noise. "To quote you, give the mech some credit. He is willing to show you off later. He'll stand up for you if you behave accordingly. And support him. His social circle will probably diminish somewhat."

"That's a tactful way of saying he's got too many acquaintances who only like him for his power."

"Maybe. You'll be good for him. You can help him sort friends from kiss-ups."

Jazz laughed. "Thanks. Now that we've both had a reality check, go lie down for a bit, huh. You'll need to concentrate later."

"If you promise you'll do the same."

Prime did recharge a little, after all.

xxx

And then the sun was up. Prime fetched Starscream to head into the palace's lower levels, where the clinic was located. Ratchet, under the watchful optics of a Decepticon medic, would read both Starscream's and Prime's spark frequencies and do so again after the celebrations, in order to make sure they had, in fact, bonded.

Starscream didn't talk much on the way, and didn't loosen up when they had to wait for Ratchet in the hallway, either. Prime wasn't in the mood for conversation anyway, so he just took Starscream's hand and didn't let go.

Eventually, the door to the small examination room slid open and Ratchet pointed at Starscream. "You first."

"Of course. Good morning to you, too."

Ratchet just snorted. "Get moving."

Starscream was in there for what seemed like forever. After a while, Prime thought he heard raised voices, but he couldn't discern what the argument was about.

Then, the door slid open and Ratchet stepped out. "You!"

"Yes?" Prime wanted to bolt. What had he done to warrant Ratchet's wrath?

Ratchet paused while the door closed behind him. "That Seeker in there tells me a rather preposterous story."

"Most of them seem to be true, though," Prime quipped.

"This is not a joking matter. Prime, that mech had a sparkling not quite a vorn ago."

"Yes," Prime said.

"So it's true. You know."

"He told me about it."

"You utter fool! Do you know how low the chance is you'll ever have a creation with such a mech? And who knows whose brat it is, and when he'll produce it and make you care for it? He's damaged goods and the council never knew. They wouldn't have agreed to this farce if they had known!"

"Stop right there, Ratchet." Prime was shaking, fighting the urge to punch the medic. If this was how Ratchet addressed his Prime, then what had he said to Starscream?

"He's using you!"

"I told you already that I know about his history. I know about the sparkling, and I certainly won't mind being a step-parent if it's needed." Prime advanced, hoping Ratchet would let him into the examination room.

Ratchet didn't budge, and still looked mutinous. "So you'll just let it go? You'll never have a sparkling of your own and you just accept it?"

"There are no statistics for this particular situation. I have no idea of the odds." Prime sighed. Half-brothers rarely happened in their society. "But I've never really thought about it. I don't measure my bondmate's worth by his ability to produce a sparkling. He's more to me than that."

Ratchet narrowed his optics.

"Let me through. I don't have to take your insults, as you well know."

Finally, Ratchet stepped aside.

Starscream wasn't the quivering wreck Prime's imagination had come up with. He was sitting on the examination table, wings folded back, and the Decepticon medic, a white and dark blue Seeker stood next to him. The medic smiled secretively and was off after squeezing Starscream's shoulder.

Starscream wouldn't even meet Prime's optics, so Prime sat down next to him and took one unresisting hand in his.

"Ratchet is a good medic," Prime said eventually. "But he sometimes oversteps his boundaries. He had no right to insult you."

"He did it anyway," Starscream whispered.

"I'm sorry." Prime leaned over to press a kiss to Starscream's helm. "If I had known he would fritz over this, I would have talked to him beforehand."

"Why do you even care?"

"You're my intended, Starscream. Of course I care."

Starscream's head snapped around, and finally Prime could see his face, so full of surprise.

"He told you I'd cancel, didn't he."

"Yes."

"He was wrong." Prime leaned in, so their foreheads touched. "I want you in my life."

Starscream shuttered his optics, released a sigh, and finally relaxed against Prime.

"So we'll both be there for the ceremony later?"

"You bet." Starscream grinned and kissed Prime. "I have to go now."

Ratchet was very silent when both he and the Decepticon returned to the room. He shot Prime dark looks, but Prime let it go. Five more joors.


	9. Interlude 4

And now to something completely different... but I am solving one of the mysteries here in.

* * *

Interlude IV

"Hook said he wants Skywarp on light duty for the next two orns," Starscream said. "Thundercracker is still out of it, but will be fit for duty as soon as he wakes."

Megatron waggled the stylus he was holding. No doubt this delayed one of his many schemes. "Very well. I'll have Soundwave's cassettes inspect this new defense grid. Dismissed." He picked up a datapad from his desk.

But. "Megatron?" Starscream tested.

"I'm awaiting a communication from Shockwave, Commander. I have very little time to indulge your pathetic insecurities tonight."

"Sir." Starscream snapped a salute and stalked out of his leader's office.

Insecurities, hah. Both of Starscream's trinemates were in medbay, a novelty in itself, so what if he didn't want to recharge in an empty room tonight? He didn't need comforting, they were going to be alright, after all. Just. Maybe a sign that this relationship was more than a way to fulfill Megatron's needs.

That hope was futile, as their fearless leader had just proved again. Starscream had considered calling it off more than once, but in the end, he didn't dare.

He squared his shoulders and made his way to Hook's medbay. Outside, a heap of green Seeker sat against the wall, knees drawn up and hugging them tightly. Paying his commander no notice whatsoever.

Starscream considered him. This had to be Wingstun, going by the auburn decal and the facemask. That mech had been crushing on Starscream something fierce ever since he'd arrived on base. It was weird to be ignored by him for once.

Deciding not to yell at the other yet, Starscream entered Hook's lair.

TC was still sleeping off the surgery; Skywarp was awake, bored, and not allowed to move until his left thruster was fully reconstructed. Starscream gave him a datapad with two vids on it, so he wouldn't bother the medics too much.

Before he left, Starscream waylaid Scavenger. "What's with the kid sitting in the hallway?"

"He still there?"

"Yes. Care to explain why he's behaving so unbecoming of a warrior?"

"Alacrity is dead, and it looks pretty bad for their third, too."

Arclight? That would explain things. "So why don't you let the kid sit with him?"

"Evidence says the Double A were bonded." Scavenger made a face. "And I bet you Wingstun knew."

Disciplinary measure, then.

"Besides, it's gonna take Arclight two, three orns to die, at least. Can't have the little slagger moping around here all the time."

"Of course. I'll talk to Wingstun, so we can turn off Arclight's fuel pump." No point in prolonging the inevitable.

Scavenger fidgeted. They'd probably considered it, but it didn't look too good on reports. Yet in the end, he pointed Starscream to the small isolation ward and bustled off, obviously not wanting any more part in this.

Starscream wandered outside and crouched in front of Wingstun. "Trine leader?"

The light behind the visor went out, then returned. "Sir!"

Starscream gave him room as he scrambled to his feet.

"Please forgive the infraction, sir."

"At ease. I've talked to Scavenger. I believe you now understand the rule about not having a bonded pair in a trine, do you?"

Wingstun looked at the floor, obviously too ashamed to make optic contact.

Starscream put a hand on the kid's forearm. "We have a decision to make. Right now, Arclight will be in agony because he's missing his bondmate. We can let things run their course, and his spark will dissipate on its own in a few orns. Or we disconnect his fuel pump and spare you both the waiting. Provided he agrees. But he'll have to know you support him in whatever he decides."

After a while, Wingstun sighed and nodded.

"Talk to Arclight, hmm? I'll take you to him."

It was difficult to rouse the dying mech to wakefulness, but once it was accomplished, Starscream left to let them discuss things in peace.

Eventually, the door opened and Wingstun peeked out. "Commander? He'd like to talk to you."

Right. Well, there was nothing for it now. Starscream went inside and sat on the berth to take Arclight's very cold hand.

"Commander," Arclight rasped. "I'm sorry I failed you."

Of course the fragging moron had failed, not only his commander, but his trine, too. Starscream offered a tight smile. "Apology accepted, soldier," he lied.

Arclight smiled in return and shuttered his optics.

The spark monitor's display changed to signal Arclight was in deep recharge. Wise medic had obviously decided to mute it, otherwise it would have blipped an alarm the entire time.

In the background, Wingstun's ventilation hitched in a sob.

"He agreed?" Starscream mouthed.

Wingstun nodded.

"Well. Sit with him."

Starscream moved to let Wingstun take his place. The kid gently lifted the limp hand and pressed it to his lips, rocking back and forth.

Trying and failing to imagine himself in the same place, Starscream went about removing the armor plates in Arclight's side that were protecting the pump. He then rifled through the cabinet in the ward, finding clamps, and applied them to Arclight's outgoing fuel lines.

Sensing the rising pressure, the pump stopped after a little while, and the sudden absence of its little sounds was screaming a silence that not even the hectic alarm of the pump monitor was able to fill.

Wingstun didn't seem to hear either, but Starscream had to switch off the monitor.

The spark monitor switched its yellow flashing diode to orange, and nearly half a joor later, it turned to red.

Arclight heaved a sigh and looked almost happy.

The little graph on the monitor's screen flatlined.

Starscream removed the clamps and reattached the armor.

The shell started pinging as it cooled down, and still Wingstun held on to that hand.

Another half a joor later, and Scavenger opened the door and threw Starscream a questioning glance.

Starscream nodded.

"Commander? Trine leader? We need this ward for an emergency."

Wingstun shook his head.

"Kid." Starscream put a steadying hand on Wingstun's back and went to extract Arclight's icy cool fingers from the kid's grip with the other. "Let them prepare him for the wake."

Suddenly, Starscream had his arms full of fellow Seeker, hiding his face in his shoulder. How old was he again? Too young to remember much before the war. And too young to be an effective trine leader, obviously.

"Get a grip, soldier. You can have TC's bunk for the night, but pull yourself together until we are there."

Wingstun did, and didn't even break down as they reached Starscream's quarters. He accepted some energon, and they simply sipped, sitting on TC's berth. Behind that mask lurked an oddly soft face.

"Why didn't you report them?" Starscream asked eventually.

Wingstun stared at his now empty cube. "There's nothing more important than the trine," he slightly misquoted the Seeker oath.

"There's nothing more important than your own sanity. They were bonded, they could have stood a rearrangement," which would have put them in separate trines.

"They begged me not to. Stupid. Should have made them." Wingstun's ventilation hitched, and he shook his head, as if that would keep the crying at bay.

Starscream reached out to pet his arm. He'd never been very good at this.

Wingstun, however, took it as an invitation for another hug, and Starscream caressed his helm until the shaking died down.

Eventually, Wingstun mumbled something and kissed Starscream's shoulder vent.

"Excuse me?"

Wingstun looked up at him. "Make it go away."

A thousand objections tumbled through Starscream's processor, and he grabbed the nearest. "It'll be only temporary."

"I know." Another kiss, teasing lightly.

They really shouldn't even consider this. But TC and Warp wouldn't blab, and no one would be the wiser.

* * *

Famous last words... One more long chapter plus an epilogue to go now, folks.


	10. Part 5

So. I hope you all aren't disappointed.

* * *

Part 5

The first part of the ceremony passed like a blur. Xaaron gave a speech. Shockwave gave a speech. More important and semi-important officials gave speeches.

Prime sat next to his creators and tried not to fidget. Jazz had helped him with the polishing and been a bit more vigorous than necessary, resulting in an itch on Prime's left shoulder. Starscream was half a row of seats apart from him, and Prime hadn't been able to see what Sunstreaker had done to his paint yet.

Eventually, the High Priest of Primus entered the dais, and the crowd, as restless as Prime after all that talking, fell into a hush.

The priest beckoned Starscream and Prime to come join them.

Prime did, feeling dazed.

Only when they both stood before the priest, facing each other, Prime realized that Starscream was covered in calligraphy just a shade darker than his paint. As such, it was difficult to decipher, but Prime caught a few snatches of sentences… 'pledge my loyalty', 'defend my people', 'destroy our enemies', 'equal at their creation'… enough to guess that Starscream was showing off every oath he had ever taken.

It was prideful and screaming defiance to everyone who had tried to rope him into their cause or confine him into a stereotype, be it hapless youngling, murderer, or Megatron's toy. I'm my own mech, it said.

Prime nodded his understanding. Starscream flashed him a tight smile.

The priest then began his sermon about the meaning of bondings. Prime mostly tuned him out in favor of focusing on Starscream. His intended seemed pale under the ink, which, of course, must have been an illusion.

"The hopes of our people are a great burden," the priest finally addressed their personal situation instead of the abstract and spiritual. "They hope for peace and a better life, and in one way or another, they look to you both as role models, mediators, or figureheads. It is a good thing you have chosen to bear this burden as one.

"Another's trust is a heady thing, it can corrupt the wavering and crush the weak. You will have to rely on each other and find strength in your union, not only for your own sake, but for this entire planet as well."

No pressure at all.

Prime got another quick smile from Starscream, and supposed that his growing anxiety was obvious.

"… chosen to make public vows that will serve as a reminder of your obligations. Join your hands now."

They did. Starscream's hands seemed somewhat cooler than usual.

"You may begin, Starscream."

Starscream shuttered his optics for a moment. Prime felt Starscream's hands begin to tremble.

"Optimus Prime," Starscream finally began. "I take you as my bonded mate. I promise to walk beside you, whatever may come, and have your back if need be. I will be your best weapon of attack and your last line of defense."

It sounded stilted, rehearsed, not at all what Starscream should sound like.

"I will stay with you, always, and cherish you, always, because you are my safe place to land, and there is nothing a Seeker needs more."

Formulaic, indeed, but by the set of Starscream's jaw and his raised chin, Prime knew he meant it. Primus. How could anyone live up to this kind of expectation?

"If you would, Prime?" the priest asked, and for just a nanoklick, Prime had the urge to bolt.

Starscream's hands squeezed his, promising it would be alright.

"Starscream. I take you as my bonded mate. I promise to be your haven, whatever may come. I will do anything to keep your sky open and your landings safe. I will stay with you, always, and cherish you, always, because you are my most honest critic and my best inspiration, and there is nothing I need more."

Starscream smiled, just a little.

The priest cleared his vocalizer. "The audience may rise for the incantation."

There was a general shuffling of feet as they did as told. Then, the priest laid his hands on theirs.

Prime felt a sub-sonic hum vibrating through him. Along with it, the priest spoke.

"Hands joined, sparks joined. Not two halves but one whole, never to crave again.

"Hands joined, sparks united. Where there grows weakness, there will be strength. Where there rules despair, there will be hope. Where there reigns loneliness, there will be love.

"Hands joined, sparks bound, together, to the well of all sparks and beyond."

The last words seemed to echo, and suddenly Prime' spark felt loose in his chest, wanting out, wanting… Starscream.

Starscream blinked, as if he was feeling the same, looking at Prime in absolute wonder.

How exactly were they supposed to keep their hands off each other for the remainder of the party?

"May Primus bless your union," the priest said. "And now kiss already," he added in a low hiss.

It felt like a spell broken. Prime drew Starscream in to kiss him, with no thought spared on decorum, and the crowd erupted into cheers and the occasional hoot.

They had trouble letting go of each other, and stayed only long enough to collect the mandatory hugs.

Once they were safe inside the house, Prime pinned Starscream against the first available wall ad kissed him again, roughly, while Starscream's fingers grappled against his chest.

Finally, Prime remembered what he had planned and broke it off. "This is not how I wanted it to go…"

Starscream pouted at him. "I don't care. Let's get it over with, we can do romantic later."

"It doesn't feel right."

"Don't make me stop and think, Optimus."

Prime stilled and suddenly realized that the trembling he'd felt start when Starscream had offered his vow hadn't let off yet. The jet was a bundle of nervous energy, and obviously, it was caused by anxiety and not desire.

Leaning down to nuzzle Starscream's cheek, Prime said, "We don't have to do it tonight. It's two orns before we'll have to face Ratchet again."

"No. If you let me put it off now, I might not be here tomorrow." Starscream offered a dry laugh.

"You'd bolt. You pressed for this, and now it's time and you're ready to bolt." Disappointment seeped into Prime like a trickle of cold water, negating the wild bounding of his spark the priest had caused.

"Almost. Don't let me go." Starscream leaned back against the wall and Prime felt how he forced himself to relax. "I told you I have a trust issue."

At least it wasn't doubts about the commitment itself. Prime rubbed his thumbs in soothing circles on Starscream's shoulders. "Whatever it is you're hiding, I won't judge you."

Starscream lifted one corner of his mouth.

Encouraged, Prime took Starscream's hands and tugged him along to the ramps to the upper levels, up to the first floor, walking backwards the entire time so Starscream would have to look at his face. He elbowed the door to the master bedroom open, glad it rested on old-fashioned hinges, and nudged Starscream around until he bumped into the berth and had to sit if he didn't want to fall over.

Earlier this orn, Prime had covered the berth in the oversized blanket he'd gotten for both of them, and he'd had vague thoughts about making a comment to Starscream, maybe teasing him by quoting the poem the blanket sported by way of decoration. It seemed all wrong now, though. More an elaborate distraction than honest sentiment.

Letting go of Starscream's left hand, Prime sat down next to Starscream. "Will you continue to let me take the lead until we've 'gotten this over with'?"

Starscream made a small, sorrowful noise. "I'm a disappointment on all fronts, aren't I." He turned a little so he could look at Prime. "I don't know how I ever thought I could seduce you."

"You did a rather good job the few times you tried," Prime jumped to reassure him. "But if you insist…" Treat it as a game, don't let him wallow in his supposed shortcomings or his fear.

Prime leaned in to kiss Starscream again, two, three rather chaste pecks before Starscream caught on and let Prime ravish his mouth without much protest. It took an agonizingly long time until Starscream sought hold on Prime and began to make the occasional little noise. Wary for negative responses, Prime then maneuvered Starscream onto his back and took his mouth to other regions. He tried out the cockpit first, then the shoulder vents, which garnered him actual, blissful responses. Starscream arched his back off the berth, even.

"Optimus," Starscream eventually found his coherency again. "Please…"

Maybe, he was begging for a sparkmerge. But however reduced to wanting release Starscream was, Prime wasn't. Driving Starscream near the edge had been too much of an intellectual exercise. "You want to work for it?"

He didn't wait for an answer, just kissed Starscream again, and nearly sighed in relief when Starscream's hands finally moved along the grille on his front. He hummed his appreciation and broke the kiss to nuzzle Starscream's neck for a bit.

Then Starscream's fingers were on his antennae in teasing light brushes and he groaned, because it wasn't enough. Through the haze, he rubbed at Starscream's cockpit just to give something back, and just when Starscream started pinching the tip of one of the antennae, and he thought he couldn't take it anymore, Starscream's chest armor spread open and let the first glance of sparklight through.

Starscream paused, going tense all over again, so Prime moved in to kiss him, once again. "It'll be alright," he murmured. "We'll be in this together. Promise you won't laugh at me?"

The question startled Starscream into a smile, and he burrowed deeper into the berth, opening further up. Prime just looked on for a moment; the spark gave off golden, warm light very at odds with Starscream's bristly personality.

"Beautiful," he said, because it was. He wanted to lose himself in that light, and so he opened his own chest armor and lowered himself a little further, and fell.

He plunged into Starscream, into what he was at the core of his being, and what he wasn't, into what he thought he was, what he wanted to be and what he perceived as his strengths and weaknesses. Saw Starscream's ability to care to the point of overprotectiveness. Saw tenacity. Saw hurt, though Starscream refused to let him experience the exact memories. Saw Starscream's glee when he found Prime's memory of killing Megatron, the absolute satisfaction when he spotted the one nanoklick when Megatron had shown fear.

Eventually, Prime resurfaced, and they just stared at each other across their now shared mindscape. It had been not what they had expected.

_I'm a war build, Optimus,_ Starscream said_. Some flight-capable, ultra fast, ruthless killing machine your predecessor ordered to be made. I'm programmed to have less qualms about injuring and killing other sentients than you do. Doesn't mean I enjoy it._

Prime pointed back to his memory of Megatron's death.

_That was personal. I'd have done much worse if I could have._

_He never… laid a hand on you._

_You mean that he never raped me._

_Yes._

_He kept me in a small, dark, windowless place for a quarter vorn. I couldn't fly. He disabled my chrono. I was always expecting something to happen. Waiting for him to snap._

_You didn't show me. _There was much Starscream had not shown him.

_I don't particularly want to remember._

_Please. I need to understand._

… he was sitting with his back against the wall, so at least he could be sure of something. He was staring into the direction where he knew the door was.

It was important not to move too much, otherwise he lost all sense of direction.

The darkness crawled over his plating, clawed at him. It tore at the memories that surfaced, and he fought an almighty war for each, only to wonder later if it had been a real memory or a sensor ghost produced by his overheated CPU.

He wanted to move, wanted out, away from those invisible talons in the darkness. Sometimes, he was shivering from it, so much his wings vibrated against the wall and he thought he might burst.

He wanted out, but he wasn't quite sure if there even was an outside. If not all his life previous to this black little place was merely an illusion made to torture him with longing.

He wished for Megatron to return. Starscream was aware Megatron was visiting, because sometimes energon cubes turned up, but Megatron always seemed to know when he was awake, and avoided coming in then.

Starscream wished for Megatron to show himself. To do something that would make him feel real. Something that would somehow assure him that his life didn't only consist of the darkness, the bare walls and the sensor ghosts. He'd welcome him, and sometimes was even close to begging to the empty room, just for some sensory input, anything, really, even if Megatron beat him into a pulp. Even if he forced him into interfacing.

Prime gasped and nearly broke contact.

_Hating him was the only thing that kept me from going crazy, _Starscream said._ Well. Crazier. I had to focus on something._

_I'm sorry._ Indeed, Megatron couldn't have been much more devious in his punishment. He'd probably waited for Starscream to break, to beg for the abuse.

_Can we talk about something else, now?_

_I'm sorry. Of course._

Outside, Prime leaned down to kiss Starscream.

_Or that. _Starscream's hands went to his antennae again.

As Prime's pleasure flooded over the bond, the darkness retreated.

Prime freed one hand and began teasing along a wing. Starscream moaned.

Tearing himself away from their mindscape, Prime watched as Starscream writhed under him.

_You are beautiful._

_So I'm told._ His nonchalance was betrayed by the happiness that suddenly flooded their connection.

Starscream renewed his attention to the antennae._ You're not so bad yourself. _Along with true desire. I've wanted you since I first met you.

A mouth replaced the fingers, sucking, teasing. _You're fragging hot._

It was all too much. Prime fell into blissful oblivion. He felt more than heard Starscream's shriek as he followed.

_I love you,_ he mumbled once he'd reached the bottom.

_So do I._

The last thing Prime perceived before he drifted off to recharge was a communication.

:It's done, Shockwave. Thank you.:

:Congratulations, then. I will see you in the morning.:

xxx

Prime awoke with a start.

_Get off, get off, GET OFF!_ A voice shrieked at him, from inside and outside. Hands were grappling at his front.

"Huh," he said.

The screaming stopped.

Prime onlined his optics. The room was still dark. Sometime around a joor after their arrival, the windows would have tinted for the night.

"Starscream?"

Pure terror flooded him.

"I can't see."

Starscream had dialed his optics to their dimmest setting to enhance his night vision, but night vision meant preciously little if there was no outside light source.

"Lights at fifteen percent," Prime commanded and sat up.

"Ow!" Starscream protested. "Get the frag off my wing, you oaf."

"Sorry." Prime did the necessary shuffling. A klick or so before, Prime must have rolled off Starscream and landed on a wing, causing Starscream to wake and have a panic attack. "This kind of sleeping arrangement is obviously not working."

"What a brilliant deduction." Underneath the barbs, Starscream was still on the verge of another panic.

"Thank you. Now. We've seen this doesn't work. I'm afraid I prefer to recharge on my back." He added a wordless query.

"Right side," Starscream offered reluctantly.

"I'll leave the left side of the berth to you, then. That way you'll be able to use me as a pillow."

Starscream raised a corner of his mouth. The 'he's going to leave me here to rust!' feeling receded somewhat.

"Next. The light controls aren't coded to my voice. You can access them anytime you want."

"Lights to thirty percent."

As the room grew brighter, Starscream's mind calmed.

"Do you leave the lights on when you recharge?"

"No." Starscream sighed. Finally the nervous tension drained out of him. He burrowed deeper into the pillow, suddenly looking like the sated, newly bonded mech he was. "Usually the lights from outside are enough."

That made sense. "Computer? Access window settings. Disable auto control. Windows clear and one hundred percent reflective from the outside."

"Oh." Starscream sat up as the Palace came into view, hundreds of windows beckoning warmly, statues and sculptures flooded in colored light for the festivities. "I forgot how beautiful this looked from above." A sense of flight, of wind across ghostly wings, a sudden turn around a tower and then the Palace. Almost inconceivable that the same people who had built the barracks in Vos had built this.

"I forget how beautiful it is, sometimes, too. I keep thinking about the mechs that occupy it more than about its looks."

"Yes," Starscream agreed, completely missing out on an acerbic comment.

"You're tired."

"Hmm."

"Can you get up for just a klick? I have something to share with you."

"Except the berth."

"Yes."

Lazily, Starscream sat and stood, leaning against the wall for support. Prime got a sense that Starscream had lost even more recharge last night than he himself had.

Prime stood as well, and pulled the blanket back.

"The light of my optics?" Starscream cited. It was impossible to tell what he was thinking. He'd shut himself off.

"It's a classic. Besides, I liked the colors." Blues, yellows and greens.

"We're clashing horribly with it."

"And?"

"Nothing. You spent a fortune on this."

"Yes."

"Why?"

_I wanted you to feel welcome. I wanted you to know that your presence here is appreciated. I like the sense of indulgence a blanket offers._

_You're going to spoil me rotten. _Starscream smirked.

_You deserve to be spoiled some. Come join me in decadence?_

They had to wriggle a little until they were both comfortable, Starscream nuzzling against Prime's arm, one leg thrown over his.

xxx

Prime woke to Starscream teasing his grille.

_I love being bonded,_ he said when Prime was awake enough to listen.

_Hmm._ Prime basked in the sense of trust he received.

_I never thought I could trust anyone this much. I don't think I've ever trusted anyone this much. It's odd. But nice._

_I love you,_ Prime sent.

_I know. I'll never have to doubt again._ This is amazing.

_Yes._ Prime reached out and drew Starscream in for a lazy kiss.

They spent the morning exploring, then it was time for the reception.

This meant sitting on the some chairs decorated with an array of blue and red drapings under a white gazebo with glittery decorations und not being able to leave.

As per tradition, everyone invited filed by and left gifts and well wishes.

Most of either weren't much of a surprise, but some stood out. Jazz and Mirage came bearing a variety of energon pastes.

"You couldn't have waited with the lewd presents until next orn?" Prime asked.

"Aw. Optimus. I just wanted you to have the fun stuff earlier."

Likewise, Starscream's trinemates insisted of handing some cuffs over now. Just before they got whacked over the head by Starscream, they produced a rather big print as peace offering – Iacon Academy at sunrise. _Pretty, and a shared experience, _Starscream commented. _We showed them all up, didn't we._

Prime's parents offered a stack of datapads with selected family pictures.

Prowl had pestered Bluestreak, Ironhide, Red Alert, Silverbolt, Ratchet and a few other ex-officers into pooling for another print, this one antiquarian. A city map of Vos when it still had an Academy.

Other than that, Starscream collected more hugs than Prime. It seemed that all Seekers and most other Decepticons in attendance knew about at least a bit of Starscream's history. Seeing all this protective energy focused on the second most scary mech an Autobot could have imagined during the war was a little unsettling.

It did also cause some mutterings, which Prime tried to glare into submission.

Eventually, that afternoon was over, too.

Prime and Starscream spent the evening trying out the wall in the hallway and the couch.

xxx

The third orn brought another appointment with the medics early in the morning.

Ratchet was doling out the silent treatment and only grunted when Starscream thanked him again for contributing to the gift.

Once the reading confirmed the obvious – "you're not talking enough," the Decepticon medic had stated – both medics accompanied them upstairs to the final bit of ceremony.

They met a pompous city hall official in the atrium, and under the watchful eyes of the crowd were officially registered.

Prime and Starscream had to endure two joors of small talk, then politely extracted themselves to head home and relax a bit before the real party began.

That one, at least, was a total success. Jazz had taken over Prime's entertainment station and was selecting the music. All five sparklings present had retreated under a table to play house, despite their parents belonging to opposite factions. A very young Seeker had attached himself to Bluestreak and they were chatting about youngling things – video games, music, vids. Bluestreak had even lost his defensive posture.

Prowl had been cornered by the Elder Trine of Vos. NOw they were comparing notes about rebuilding a city. Mirage was having a conversation about political systems with Shockwave and Soundwave. Ironhide and Ratchet were reluctantly talking to the Seeker medic and his mate, the gray and blue mech who had long ago rescued Starscream.

Starscream's trine mates were boasting with clearly exaggerated war stories for the benefit of Sunstreaker and Sideswipe. Starscream listened intently to a rant on the proper keeping of documents by one of Prime's old archivist colleagues.

It made Prime belief that the peace might last.

The entire thing deteriorated to dancing after a while. While Shockwave and Soundwave did not come as a surprise after numerous hints from Starscream, Prowl was having a few dances with Arrowhead, of all mechs.

"It's a two plus one trine, just like my own" Starscream supplied after Prime commented on it. "Arrowhead is the one."

"Hmm."

Later, when nearly everyone had taken their leave, they found Prowl lingering on the terrace, hugging himself.

"Everything alright?" Prime asked.

"I'm not sure." Prowl sounded a little dazed. "I think I was just proposed to."

"You think?"

"Let me guess," Starscream interrupted, suppressed laughter evident. "He said, 'will you allow me to court you?'"

"Yes."

"So what did you say?"

"I'm not sure."

"Well. He won't have faulted you for that, because you aren't a Seeker. But you should get back to him with a real answer. Soon."

Prowl nodded and finally left after bidding them good night.

_I never figured Arrowhead would go after a grounder,_ Starscream said.

_You did._

_Yes. I'm the odd one out._

_I find myself rather grateful for that,_ Prime admitted.

Starscream beamed up at him.

* * *

The 'classic' line is actually stolen from an Arabian song. I don't remember the artist, unfortunately. 'Habibie, ya noor al ainie' - 'My darling, oh light of my eyes'. This is about the extent of my Arabian vocabulary, though.


	11. Epilogue

Epilogue

The bitlet had finally quieted down enough to fall into recharge. He'd curled up on Starscream's chest, one thumb in his mouth.

His name was Flare. Soundwave had found him in a haven for street urchins on the outskirts of Kaon, just an orn ago. According to the communications specialist, no one there had been sure how to care for a traumatized sparkling less than a vorn old, but they had managed not to kill him, and he probably wasn't off worse for it.

Even if he were, Starscream wouldn't mind. The sparkling – his sparkling! – was back where he belonged, the creation bond was online again, and the dull ache, Starscream's constant companion for nearly a vorn now, had faded.

Carefully, Starscream stroked one tiny wing. His name was Flare. A good name, fitting for a flyer. It was odd, too, how Megatron had picked the smallest available frame for Seeker offspring. Had picked cuteness over strength. Had someone paint the kid red and gray, too. They would have made a pretty little family.

Starscream got a hold of his vocaliser before a keen could escape.

_Shush. _Optimus was hovering in the doorway. _I won't begrudge you dreams of an easier life. I wish I could have done something to spare you from all that hurt._

The air in Starscream's vents shuddered, but he managed to avoid an all out fit of sobs. Don't wake the bitlet.

Slowly, Optimus left his place and padded over to the berth, sank to his knees. As if realizing his proximity, Flare stirred, sucked on this thumb twice and went still again.

_You and Wingstun made one cute sparkling._

Starscream managed a smile. Wingstun, yes. He wasn't alive to appreciate it, just like so many others.

_Just promise me you won't let the regrets eat you up._

Starscream shuttered his optics. Megatron might be dead anyway. Changing things even further back defied his imagination. He could not conceive of a live in which he would not have been a Seeker.

"I asked you," he finally reminded himself and his bonded.

"You did," Optimus whispered back and leaned in to kiss Starscream's helm. "And I shall be eternally amazed you picked me of all people."

Starscream couldn't help the chuckle. Optimus grinned back.

Flare shifted and onlined his optics. "'sup?" he mumbled, with a mistrustful undertone.

"I was just doing my job," Optimus said. "Which is making your carrier laugh."

"You're a sap." Starscream smiled.

"I'll gladly be a sap, dork, and fool if it makes you happy."

Flare giggled.

Seeing his chance, Optimus reached in to tickle the bitlet.

Starscream just watched, and enjoyed the feeling of his sparkling squirming on his chest, squealing happily. They did make a pretty little family of their own, after all.

- Finis -

* * *

Well. Most of you will have a toothache by now, but I couldn't resist.


End file.
